The Birth of the Araiki Clan
by Lesingnon Bladewind
Summary: The Raikage had a second target the night of the Hyuga Abduction, and Naruto was brought safely to Kumogakure. Upon arrival, he is gifted with a kekkai genkai in preparation for the birth of a new clan. Behold the power of To-Remu Yajuuki. NarutoxYugito
1. Prologue: Birth of the Araiki Clan

**Well, I've finally decided to post a fan fiction. I write for the fun of it, and have decided to see what kind of response my work will get. So here goes nothing. Oh, by the way, I don't have a beta so if anybody reads the story and is interested in the position feel free to shoot me a message.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Yugon Tomaru was nervous and worried. But you could hardly blame him for that, not with what was going on in Konoha tonight. He tensed as a figure dropped into the clearing with a sack over one shoulder, but relaxed when he recognized his teammate. She stood at about 5'5" and was clad in standard Kumo jounin attire, navy blue pants and shirt under a dark gray vest that was awarded to ninja upon the rank of chuunin. A Kumo hitaite was attached to her belt, over the buckle. She had a slender, athletic build and a beautiful face framed by jaw-length blonde hair. Her eyes were bright green and darted across the clearing, taking in her surroundings. "Akana, I trust your part of the mission was a success."

The kunoichi pushed an errant strand of hair out of her face before replying, "Of course, the caretaker was a retired chuunin, but aside from that there was no one with shinobi training watching over the boy. It wasn't even a challenge."

"Then we just need to wait for the ambassador to get back. I still can't believe it was this easy."

"Quiet, it's best not to tempt fate." They settled down to wait. They spent half an hour in tense silence, jumping at every snapping twig they heard. Eventually, Akana glanced up at the sky. Taking note of the position of the moon in relation to the stars she determined the time. Reaching her conclusion, she turned to Tomaru. "We need to go."

"Raikage-sama won't be happy about not getting the Hyuga."

"He'll be even less happy if he doesn't get the boy as well. The Ambassador's late and may have been caught. If that's the case then we'll be compromised as well. It's time to go." Tomaru opened his mouth to argue, but ultimately decided against it. Both Kumo-nin took to the trees, leaving no sign of their presence behind.

**Three Days Later**

Sarutobi let out a sigh. The three days since Kumo's failed abduction of the Hyuga heiress had been the most hectic since the Third Shinobi War. Word of the Ambassador's death had reached Kumo quickly, most likely due to a messenger bird. Despite the circumstances they had claimed that his death was a violation of the Ambassador's diplomatic immunity (which was technically true) and had threatened war if not recompensated. Of course, it wasn't as though Sarutobi could just hand over Hyuga Hiashi, the head of his clan for protecting his own daughter. The crisis had been averted when Hiashi's twin brother had offered to be killed in his place. Sarutobi hadn't liked the result but Hizashi was insistent, claiming that many lives could be saved. It was situations like this, Sarutobi mused, that truly made the office of Hokage such a taxing position.

Now that the crisis had passed Sarutobi decided to pay Naruto a visit. He made a point of spending time with the boy. But when he got to the boy's apartment, something seemed wrong. After a brief moment, he realized that he was sensing a genjutsu. That was when Sarutobi began to get worried. He sent out a pulse of his chakra, dispelling the genjutsu and revealing kindling where the door should have been. His worry rose as he entered the apartment and saw obvious signs of battle. Shuriken were embedded in the walls, furniture was destroyed, and burn marks were scattered everywhere.

He hurried into the bedroom to see Rin sprawled unmoving upon the bed. He felt an initial moment of panic before examining her. Minato's student wasn't dead, merely incapacitated by a powerful genjutsu. He placed his hand on his forehead and dispelled it, causing Rin to bolt upright in bed. She wore a confused look on her face, "Hokage-sama, where am I?"

"I came to see Naruto. Instead I found a battle-scarred apartment, what happened here?"

Rin's confused frown only deepened, "I don't know. I remember taking Naruto to see the parade at the celebration of our treaty with Kumo. Then I came back to put him to bed. Then, then my mind just goes blank."

Sarutobi felt the weight of the world upon his shoulders as he closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Three days ago," he said quietly, "Kumogakure no Sato sent a delegation to sign a peace treaty with Konoha. Later that night, the Ambassador was killed by Hyuga Hiashi while attempting to kidnap the clan's heir. We never found the two shinobi who accompanied him. One of them must have come here as well, for Naruto. I was too busy dealing with the repercussions of the attack to come visit and I sent Kakashi out with the ANBU to secure the area immediately outside the village. We're the only two who have ever come to visit. They must have taken Naruto on the same night they attempted to take Hinata. And we were more concerned about making sure the other two Kumo-nin weren't in the village than sending out tracking parties to see if they had already fled back to Kumo. They have too much of a head start, there's nothing we can do for the boy now."

**One Day Later**

Tomaru and Akana were glad to be close to Kumogakure no Sato. The early portion of their flight from Konoha had been tense as they expected ANBU pursuit. However, they never sensed any signs of pursuit. Not that they let that make them careless. They had kept up a frantic pace as they made their way back home. Rounding the last bend in the mountainside, they were shocked to see the Raikage waiting for them along with the usual chuunin guards.

The Yondaime Raikage was an imposing figure, solidly built at standing six feet two inches tall. His intense blue scrutinized them from under the brim of his Kage hat and his black beard was flecked with gray. His voice was soft, but was so commanding that everyone always seemed to stop and listen when he spoke. "I see the two of you have made it back safely; I've heard that the third of your number was not so lucky."

"Raikage-sama, he was five minutes late to the appointed meeting spot. We assumed that he had been caught and our position was compromised. We felt that returning to Kumo with the boy was our best option."

"I would have done the same in your place. The third member of your team was killed by Hyuga Hiashi as he tried to escape the clan's compound. I've been in contact with the Hokage and managed to make a small diplomatic issue out of it. They have pledged to send us the body of Hiashi as recompense. I find it more likely that we'll get his twin brother Hizashi, who has been branded by the Caged Bird Seal. Luckily, however, the contingency plan succeeded. We may not get the Byakugan, but now we'll be able to create a new kekkai genkai. Tomaru, you may return home. Akana, follow me and bring the boy. It is time to begin the ceremony."

He turned and strode urgently into the village, forcing the shorter kunoichi to hurry to keep up. "Raikage-sama," she asked as they navigated the streets, "won't we have to worry about Konoha trying to take the boy back?"

"I doubt it. As the container for the Kyuubi he was hated by most of the village. Even though the Hokage seemed to like the boy public sentiment will undoubtedly make it difficult for him to mount much of an effort to retrieve the boy, especially if it could lead to violence. He just won't have the support for it. Also, I managed to maneuver Konoha into making a concession to us. This leaves them in a rather poor position to try do demand custody of the boy even if the Hokage can get support for the move." He stopped outside of a building that was a simple stone dome. "We're here."

Wordlessly the two stepped inside. The room was bare, without a single piece of decoration or furniture. The Raikage pressed a panel beside the door and a portion of the floor slid over, revealing a circular stairway that wound into the ground. The stairs opened into a large underground dome. A complex series of seals was engraved on the floor and a pair of pedestals rose from the floor in the center of the room. There were sixteen shinobi waiting for them, eight of the finest medic-nin and fuinjutsu users that Kumogakure had to offer. One of them looked up as the two newcomers arrived.

"Is that him?" he asked, pointing towards the bag cradled in Akana's arms. Wordlessly, she handed it over. The man set it on the ground and removed the child within. He was a boy of two, with tanned skin and unruly blonde hair. There were three whisker marks on each cheek. The shinobi had heard that his eyes were blue, but couldn't tell as they were shut due to the boy's genjutsu-induced slumber. He nodded in approval, "Bring her out."

Another shinobi stepped forward holding a young girl. She was also asleep, and was dressed in a simple white robe. Her long blonde hair hung down her back in a ponytail and her features had a distinct feline cast to them. The two shinobi brought the children to the center of the room, where they removed their clothes and placed them on the pedestal. Taking out brushes and ink, they proceeded to spend half an hour writing a complex series of seals on the children's skin. As they worked, they revealed another seal on the belly of each child, the seal that kept the bijuu they held at bay.

When they were done they stepped back and formed a ring around the seals along with six other shinobi. As one, they raised their hands and began a long and complicated series of hand seals. The sequence was one hundred and seventy-two seals long, and they all had to be performed in unison. It had taken hours of practice to get the timing down perfectly. Two minutes later, the sequence done, the eight shinobi kneeled down and slammed their hands onto the floor of the cavern.

The seals instantly began to glow white. It started at the edges and worked its way inward, traveling up the pedestals and into the seals on the toddlers' skin. The children began to glow as well, Yugito's glow was a violent purple while Naruto's was red. Slowly, their auras were leached by the seals. They were funneled down the podiums and ran through several seals on the floor, intermingling as they went.

Eventually, they began making their way back to the two children. The colors had changed, that much was obvious as the auras crept back up the podium. Yugito's was now a vibrant yellow-orange while Naruto's was slate blue. The aura's reached the children once more, and began creeping over their skin. As the aura's crept forward, all of the seals they touched disappeared. Eventually they completely encompassed the children, leaving them unmarked. Even the seals that had contained the bijuu were gone.

Then the auras began sinking into the skin, forming a complex series of tribal markings. At the conclusion of the ritual, the markings faded from sight. The ritualists collapsed in exhaustion, then signaled that they were finished. Immediately, the medic-nin rushed forward. After clothing the children in simple white robes they began performing diagnostic jutsu. After several minutes of tests they conversed quietly amongst themselves. When they were done, the Raikage walked over. "Well?"

"The ritual was a success Raikage-sama. The bijuu are gone, most likely sent back to the demon plane for now. And the kekkai genkai seems to have been formed successfully. The children are in fine health and there are no undue signs of strain on their chakra coils."

The Raikage let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, "And their chakra capacity?"

"As you know, Yugito was chosen to contain the Nibi because she had naturally high chakra reserves. I suspect it was the same in the boy's case. The sealing of the bijuu caused an increase in their reserves in order to allow them to contain the youki. Since then they have been growing at the same proportion as that of an average child and will likely continue do so. However, due to their higher chakra capacity their growth will dwarf that of other children if measured on an absolute scale. Currently, they have low-jounin level reserves."

"Very well," he raised his voice so it echoed throughout the chamber, "I would like to thank you all. You have performed admirably and the village will prosper from your actions. The surname of these children shall now be Araiki, and they will help found a clan that will strengthen our village." He handed Yugito to the medic-nin who had spoken to him. "You will return Yugito to her home. The rest of you, except for Akana, are dismissed." The assembled shinobi bowed out of respect before filing up the stairs. Soon only the Raikage, Akana, and the young boy remained in the room.

"Raikage-sama, I assume you have another task for me." In truth, Akana wanted to go home and sleep. The mission had worn on her both mentally and physically. But she was determined not to show that in front of the Raikage.

"You are correct," he turned and held the boy out to her. "I want you to raise the boy, his name is Naruto."

Akana stood for a moment in mute shock. "Are you sure, wouldn't it be best to raise him with Yugito?"

"No, I want them to grow close over time of course. But I do not want them to view each other as siblings. I have had my ANBU observing the female jounin of this village for the past few months. Based on their information I have determined that you are best suited to raise the child. Besides, I have heard that you were considering adoption."

Akana's hand unconsciously moved to the scar on her hip as she mulled over the Raikage's statement. He was right. After that wound she had been told that she would be unable to conceive her own child. She had been considering adoption, and now was as good a chance as any. She reached forward with trembling hands and gathered the young boy into her arms. "I accept Raikage-sama."

"Good. You will receive a stipend to cover his living expenses, as well as any equipment he needs. He will begin his training at age four along with Yugito. Since they are the first to have their kekkai genkai they will work with many jounin of the village to unlock it, and to discover a fighting style that suits it. And one more thing. If you see anyone attempt to harm him outside of training sessions or tests, even myself, you are authorized to use as much force as you deem necessary to protect him."

"Hai, Raikage-sama."

"Very well, you are dismissed." Akana bowed, then turned and ascended the stairwell. Once she had exited the building and its restricting seals she raised one hand in a basic seal and returned to her home through a quick series of shunshins. Deciding to pick up baby supplies tomorrow, she tucked Naruto into the bed in her guest room. Touching a finger to his forehead, she dispelled the genjutsu and allowed him to sleep peacefully.

She stared down at him tenderly. "Araiki Naruto, my son." She leaned down and kissed him lightly on the forehead, "Sleep well little one."

**Well there's the prologue, hope you guys enjoyed it. I'll try to update in about a week.**


	2. Chapter 1: To Set Foot Upon the Path

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

**10 Years Later**

Akana was observing, ok spying on, Naruto and Yugito as they walked down the road. The pair drew approving glances and whispers from just about everybody they passed on the street. The village had been infatuated with them for the past ten years. It was admirable that neither of them had let the attention go to their head, especially since most of it was due to the fact that they possessed a new kekkai genkai. Although, there were several people that they had impressed with simple hard work.

The pair had gone through intense training during the past eight years. With a bit of help, they had managed to unleash their bloodline. After that, its advancement became mainly instinctual. That instinct had helped Kumo's taijutsu master to develop a complementary taijutsu style with them, which had named Yaseiken. They had also been trained extensively in other tactics and strategy. The mother in her was proud of them.

The mother in her, a phrase that Akana never thought she'd be using to refer to herself just ten years ago. She had had her doubts when she was given Naruto to adopt, but in the end was happy for the opportunity. Sure the energetic little blonde could be a handful at times, and it had been especially rough when his origins had been revealed to him at the age of five. He had refused to speak with her or the Raikage for a week afterwards. He had gotten over it eventually, and was even grateful when he settled down a bit. He had been freed from the life of a Jinchuuriki after all. Most importantly, he still viewed Kumogakure as home. He had grown up fast though, already taking the gennin examination. She looked ahead almost wistfully, watching Naruto and Yugito walk down the road in front of her.

Naruto wore standard navy blue shinobi pants, with slate blue stripes along the seams. He wore a short-sleeved shirt of steel mesh under a sleeveless gi. It was the same navy blue as his pants, with a tracery of tribal symbols in slate blue along the edges. Their design was derived from the pattern of the markings she had seen on him years ago, the hallmark of their bloodline. On the back, also in the same shade of blue, was the Araiki clan symbol that the Raikage had designed embroidered in raised thread. It was the slitted eye of some beast. Only instead of being outlined in smooth lines, they were composed of the same patterns as those markings. It looked powerful, majestic, and feral. The Raikage had said it was a perfect fit for the kekkai genkai, which he dubbed To-Remu Yajuuki. The gi, along with Yugito's top, had been a gift from the Raikage last year on the ninth anniversary of the creation of their kekkai genkai.

Yugito was walking alongside him. Here outfit was also primarily navy blue, though there were a few key differences. Instead of pants she wore a pair of shorts that cinched tight just below her knees, leaving the lower halves of her legs were wrapped in bandages. Her torso was covered by a garment resembling a sleeveless kimono top of navy blue. The traceries and clan symbol were evident on her shirt, though they were in a yellow-orange color. Her long blonde hair was done in a braid that reached to her lower back and was wrapped in bandages. Both Kumo-nin had a shuriken holster wrapped to their thighs, and neither wore footwear of any kind.

The two were talking animatedly about something as they walked hand in hand down the road. They had been dating for a few months now. The Raikage's efforts to push the two together had proven to 

be largely unnecessary. They had been close ever since they met each other at a young age. Naruto had been incredibly dense though. The boy hadn't even recognized the depth of his own feelings, let alone Yugito's. At leas t not until she kissed him. Akana chuckled as she recalled that memory.

_The two young shinobi were lounging in the treetops of one of Kumogakure's parks, listening to the sounds of children playing beneath them. What they didn't know was that Akana was nearby. Occasionally she grew curious as to what they were doing and decided to take a peek. So long as they didn't have their bloodline active she could avoid detection without too much difficulty. She spied less frequently as time went on and the two became better able to take care of themselves, but she had a feeling today would be too good to miss. She had noted Yugito's posture and tone of voice when she asked Naruto to accompany her to the park. Her interest was plain, at least to everybody but Naruto, and she seemed to have grown tired of being subtle._

_Yugito waited until Naruto looked over the side of the branch at the children before speaking. "Hey Naruto, have you ever thought about what it would be like to have children."_

"_No, not really. I know that the village will want children from the both of us to pass on To-Remu Yajuuki, but it'll be a while before we can consider that."_

"_True, you'd have to worry about a girlfriend first."_

"_Yeah, but too many of the girls in this village fawn over me just because of the bloodline. I'd want someone who wants me for who I am. You're the only one that does but,"_

"_But what?" Naruto froze, the tone of her voice told him that something was out of the ordinary. He turned to see that she had climbed to her feet and was slowly walking towards him with a perfectly neutral expression on her face. He scrambled to his feet and began to slowly back away. "But what Naruto-kun? Am I not suitable dating material? Not pretty enough perhaps, or you don't like my personality?" Naruto's back bumped into the trunk of the tree as Yugito continued forward. "Well, what is it?"_

"_I-it's just that, y-you've never seemed to s-see me that way and…"_

_Naruto's voice trailed off as Yugito's face broke into an amused grin, "You really can be so dense sometimes."_

_Naruto's eyes widened, "You mea-"_

_Yugito made a small sound of impatience in the back of her throat. "Sometimes you just talk too much." Before Naruto could respond she pressed herself forward and kissed him. She savored the kiss for a few minutes; reveling in the feel of him, his taste, and his scent. She broke off the kiss reluctantly, turned and walked slowly to the end of the branch._

"_Yugito-chan?"_

"_You're picking me up at five tomorrow?"_

"_What?"_

"_For our first date and it better be good." With a satisfied smirk on her face Yugito leapt from the branch, quickly making her way back home._

Naruto smiled widely as he entered the classroom. It was finally here, his last day in the academy. He and Yugito had been taught by private tutors for as long as they could remember. By the time they were allowed to enroll in the academy at the age of eight they had already learned practically everything that the place taught. The pair had wanted to skip the academy altogether, but the Raikage and their parents had been adamant. It would do them good, they said, to interact more with their peers. That and they didn't want to make it look like the duo was being shown favoritism just because of their bloodline.

Soon after stepping through the doorway he could feel the familiar sensation of having far too many females focusing on him at once. Though at least since he had started dating Yugito, or at least since she had knocked one of the more persistent ones into a state of semi-consciousness, they had stopped flirting with him so blatantly. The buzz of talking in the classroom died down as the chuunin instructor stepped to the front of the class. Satoru-sensei was slightly on the short side, standing at about five feet six inches. He was solidly built with a gruff voice and bald head. As usual he was dressed in standard chuunin attire for Kumogakure. The class respected him greatly; rumor had it that he could become a jounin easily if he didn't like teaching so much.

He cleared his throat and projected his voice throughout the room. "Listen up!" The few students who had still been talking stopped immediately. Satoru smirked, teaching his class discipline and respect had been worth it, it was just a shame that they'd be graduating so soon. "Today myself and two other instructors will test you to see if you're worthy of becoming shinobi of Kumogakure. The test will have no written stage, if you didn't know the basic information required by the academy you never could have made it this far. The first three segments of the exam will be outside. You'll be tested on stealth, accuracy with thrown weapons, and taijutsu. Then we'll come back inside for the ninjutsu portion of the exam. The results will be averaged, and you need at least a seventy percent to pass. If you get below sixty in two or more portions of the test, or below fifty in one, you will fail. Are there any questions?" The class remained perfectly still. After waiting several seconds he spoke up again. "Good, then follow me outside and we'll begin."

The class followed their sensei to a wooded area behind the academy. The accuracy test was easy, almost no one got below an eighty. The stealth test was more difficult. The taijutsu test was as well, and consisted of a spar against Satoru. Then the class was brought back inside and required to perform the kawarimi, henge, and bunshin. Though Yugito and Naruto instead used the Seiteki Bunshin no Jutsu because of their large chakra capacity. Overall, the vast majority of the class passed, with Naruto and Yugito at the top. The class now sat, with hitaites tied around various body parts, as they awaited their team assignments. Yugito and Naruto were seated side by side, hitaites around their foreheads.

Sotaru stood at the front of the class and began a speech. "I would like to congratulate you all. By graduating from the academy you have taken your first steps on the path of the shinobi. You are now 

gennin, official shinobi of Kumogakure. It's not the most glamorous rank, but you have to start somewhere. With perseverance and hard work you should be able to reach the rank of chuunin, and eventually jounin. Your futures lie ahead of you, and it's up to you to steer them where you want them to go. Now for team assignments." Naruto and Yugito sat patiently, waiting for their names to be called. Eventually they heard, "Team Four will include Araiki Naruto, Araiki Yugito, and Gifu Meitoku. Your jounin instructor is waiting in Room 307."

Naruto looked over towards his other teammate as they walked to meet their sensei. Meitoku stood about an inch and a half shorter than his own five foot two, making him about the same height as Yugito. The boy had already attached the metal plate of his hitaite to a black bandanna that he wore over his brown hair. He wore black shinobi pants and sandals, along with a steel grey jacket worn unzipped in the front. There was a yellow shirt under the jacket, along with a pair of straps that formed an "X" across his chest. His stormy grey eyes continuously swept the area. He wore a katana on his back, along with twin kodachi at his hips. There was a kunai holster attached to each thigh, and numerous extra packs of shuriken and senbon were at his belt.

As one could guess from his appearance, Meitoku utilized weapons heavily. He preferred to use his projectiles from a distance, but was also skilled with his swords. To make him even more dangerous, he was proficient in Raiton jutsu and frequently used them to charge his weapons, blocking them would often prove painful. Overall, he was a nice fit. His ranged attacks could keep enemies engaged at a distance while Naruto and Yugito could clean up anybody that got too close.

The boy was sharp, and by no means gregarious. Whenever he spoke, it was generally a good idea to listen. Naruto's musings were cut short as they arrived at the door to room 307. "Well," he muttered, "let's see who we've got." He pushed open the door, revealing Akana laying on the desk while absentmindedly tossing a kunai into the air. She turned her head as she heard the door open, and the kunai stuck into the wood a fraction of an inch from her nose. "Kaa-san! What are you doing here?"

Akana raised her legs, then flipped herself onto her feet as she replaced the kunai in her holster. "I'm your jounin-sensei of course, why else would I be here?"

"You were assigned as our jounin-sensei!? But your raised me and-"

"Just because I've raised you doesn't mean that I can't be your jounin-sensei. And I know more about your To-Remu Yajuuki than any jounin in the village. It's a rather logical choice actually. Now, meet me at Training Ground #8 in ten minutes. Normally, you'd receive another test to determine if you'd actually become gennin. However, I've spent enough time with Yugito and Naruto to know how it would turn out. So instead I'll be holding a skills evaluation to see how good your teamwork is." She shunshined away with a crackle of static electricity.

Naruto buried his face in his hands, "I can't believe this, Kaa-san, our jounin sensei. What did I do to deserve this?"

"Come on Naruto-kun, it can't be that bad."

Naruto raised his head and gave Yugito a very level look, "Would you want your mom to know about every single little mistake you ever made on a mission? Keep in mind that she would then proceed to bring them up constantly around the house, never letting you forget them."

"Okay, point taken. But there's a good side to this too. You know you'll have a dedicated, hardworking sensei who'll do everything she can to keep us alive. That and she's normal, imagine if you had that spandex guy from Konoha we've heard about."

Naruto shuddered; the stories he'd heard about that man were awful. He did suspect they were exaggerated to some extent, but still, he never wanted to find out if his suspicions were correct or not. "I guess. Well, let's get to the training ground and get this assessment over with." Moving across the rooftops, Team Four made it to the training ground in about six minutes.

Akana looked up as they arrived. "Good, you're all here. Now let's see what you can do." She seemed to suddenly disappear from view as she sped towards her gennin team. Naruto cursed, he hadn't been caught by surprise and could tell that Yugito hadn't either. But Meitoku had not been expecting this, and Akana directed her first attack at him. Naruto leapt in front of the boy, bringing his arm around to parry his mother's kick. The move left him off balance and vulnerable, allowing Akana's second attack to send him flying away. Akana got to Yugito just as she was trying to pull Meitoku back, in short order both gennin were sent flying away. Akana stood calmly in the center of the clearing, while her team was scattered around the edges. "Well, I'm waiting."

"Hey Yugito-chan," Naruto lowered himself onto all fours as he spoke. "It looks likes it's time to activate To-Remu Yajuuki."

"Yeah," she muttered as she went down on all fours as well, "Meitoku, stay back and wait for an opening." Naruto and Yugito brought up their chakra, and soon enough felt a familiar heady rush as their bloodline activated. They both grinned, it was time to fight.

Half an hour later Akana was casually standing in the middle of the clearing appearing no worse for the wear, although that was partially due to a genjutsu. Her three students were scattered across the battle-scarred clearing in exhaustion. Akana herself was doing while to hide her own exhaustion. Sure she was an elite jounin, but Naruto and Yugito were at least high chuunin level and had excellent teamwork. Meitoku wasn't that bad either.

"I'm impressed. Naruto, Yugito; your teamwork together was as flawless as I've come to expect. Your timing was a bit off whenever Meitoku attacked, but your tactics were sound and the timing will come with time and experience. You're dismissed for now. Meet me back here at eight tomorrow morning for training. Then after lunch you'll be introduced to the wonderful word of D-rank missions."

Two weeks later, team four was absolutely sick of D-rank missions. Naruto thought Meitoku had phrased it perfectly when he called them "menial tasks more befitting of servants than trained shinobi." Only one of the missions required any shinobi skills at all, trying to catch the falcon that belonged to the 

Lightning Daimyo's son. Why couldn't the man figure out how to tie that bird to its post? They had gone after it six times, six times in two weeks!

They were currently in the Raikage's office after just having returned the bird to its owner. He was ecstatic to have it back, though slightly curious as to why it seemed so twitchy. Team Four decided not to mention that Meitoku had taken the thing out of the air with some electrified ninja wire. "I must say I'm impressed, that was the fastest I've ever actually seen somebody catch that bird." The amused glint in the Raikage's eyes hinted that he had figured out their method. "Now," he said as he pulled out a large folder of D-Ranks, "let's see what I can give you for your next mission."

"Oh hell no!"

The Raikage looked up at Naruto and his voice took on a bemused tone, "You have something to say Naruto?"

"Yeah, Yugito-chan and I were bored out of our minds in the academy learning stuff we already knew because you wanted us to have more social interactions. Then when we finally graduate all we get for missions are chores. Are we shinobi or errand boys? Come on, give us a real mission. You know we're ready for it."

The Raikage straightened in his chair, sliding into his business mode. "Very well." He reached down and retrieved a folder from the top drawer in his desk. "A drug cartel has been expanding its influence in the capital city of Rai no Kuni. Recent intelligence has revealed that he will soon be taking a short vacation with roughly one dozen ronin guards. Your job is to neutralize him. The daimyo would prefer that you kill the ronin guards, although it is acceptable to allow them to flee if you're forced to. Your primary objective is the drug lord. The daimyo would like him alive for interrogation. You do, however, have permission to kill him if necessary. Do you accept this mission?"

The three gennin nodded enthusiastically, and Akana offered no objection. "Very well," he said as he handed the folder to Akana, "You'll be leaving tomorrow for the southwestern corner of Rai no Kuni. Your sensei will brief you on the mission details as you travel. Dismissed."

Naruto started a countdown in his head after the Raikage's door swung shut. 'Three, two, one, duck.' He put his head down, barely avoiding Yugito's slap to the back of his head.

"You should show more respect for the Raikage, Naruto-kun."

"But Yugito-chan, he was expecting one of us to do that."

She narrowed her eyes, "What makes you say that?"

"The Raikage doesn't keep mission assignments in the top drawer of his desk." Naruto allowed himself a smirk at the expression on Yugito's face. It wasn't often he could get her to realize that she was wrong, mainly because she never seemed to want to admit that he was right.

"Naruto," he was instantly on alert by the sickly sweet tone to his mother's voice, "The Raikage may have been expecting you to try this, but if you ever do that again I'm putting you through four hours of brand new Hell Drills." Naruto shuddered; Hell Drills had been developed after Yaseiken. They were a chained form of several hundred attacks and blocks that should take no more than a few minutes. He would then perform the form, and if he made a single mistake at any point of the form he'd have to start all over. And when you were learning a chain of moves that long, you tend to make quite a few mistakes.

"Yes Kaa-san."

"Good, you're all dismissed. So go home and start packing."

The next day Naruto was really regretting having his mother as a jounin-sensei. "Naruto, did you remember to pack extra kunai and shuriken?"

"Yes, Kaa-san."

"Did you remember to pack your sleeping bag?"

"Yes, Kaa-san."

"Did you remember to pack a spare pair of sandals?"

"Yugito-chan and I don't use footwear."

"Oh, right." For a few seconds it seemed as though she'd actually leave him alone. "Did you remember to pack your underwear?"

"Kaa-san, if you wanted to see if I packed everything why didn't you go over this last night before we left?"

"Because it's a mother's sacred right to embarrass their child, especially in front of their romantic interests." Yugito's sudden fit of giggles didn't help Naruto's mood much either. He slowed his stride, dropping behind Akana and grumbling under his breath. It was going to be a long trip.

Overall, the trip was enjoyable. Akana eventually stopped embarrassing Naruto, leaving him in peace to observe the scenery. Rai no Kuni was a ruggedly beautiful country. Must like Tsuchi no Kuni it was covered in mountains. But where Tsuchi no Kuni was dry and barren, Rai no Kuni received much more rain and was covered in lush forests. Their journey brought them alongside deep gorges, took them under the shade of century old trees, and gave them views of thousand foot waterfalls. It was said that Rai no Kuni was the most beautiful place in the elemental countries, and none of the Kumo-shinobi had seen anything to dispute that.

Roughly three days later, Team Four had pulled within sight of their target. Seeing that the small caravan was moving at a civilian pace, they decided to pull ahead a bit and set up camp. Once that task was finished Akana gathered her gennin together to discuss their strategy.

"Okay, I know that this is a fairly simple assignment that shouldn't give us much difficulty. But what you have to keep in mind is that nothing is necessarily as easy as it seems. So while we probably could just rush in and kill everybody, we're going to be more careful about this. During the day Naruto and Yugito will sleep. When twilight starts the two of you will move out and gather information about our target. I'm choosing you two because your bloodline will be of assistance in reconnaissance, which probably also means you'll be doing it a lot in the future.

Meitoku and I will sleep during the night, which leaves a period of time during the morning and evening when we're all awake. During that time we'll continue moving our camp forward along our target's path. Additionally, during the morning you'll tell me what you found out about our target the previous night. Now, let's get the tents pitched so our scouts can get some sleep." The shinobi got to work, each pitching a small one-man pup tent. After the tents were pitched Naruto and Yugito crawled into theirs before promptly falling asleep.

Some time later Naruto found himself shaken gently awake. Opening his eyes he saw Akana staring down at him. "Time for you two to go, I already got Yugito up." She handed him a slip of paper. "This is a tracking seal. I have the other half of it so by focusing your chakra into it you'll be able to find our camp after we move. There's also an alarm seal on the other side. If you focus your chakra into it I'll know and, and I'll be coming at a dead run."

Naruto took the slip and tucked it into a pouch on his belt. "Thanks Akana-sensei. Well, Yugito looks like she's ready so we should probably get going. See you in the morning."

"Naruto," he stopped. Akana's voice had been softer, more worried. For the moment she was speaking to him as his mother, not his sensei. "I know you have the skills of an accomplished shinobi, I've spent the last eight years drilling them into your head. And I know you have your bloodline to help you. But what you don't have is experience. Life or death situations are always hard the first time, no matter what the skill difference is between opponents. On this scouting mission you and Yugito might face one, and I won't be there to help you. So be careful and remember, if it does come down to a life and death situation just remember that it's your or them. At that moment, it's all that matters. There's no time to worry about their death, about morals, or about innocence lost. An instant of hesitation is all it could take for either of you to lose your life, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. So please, be careful."

The two spent a moment in silence; Akana was usually an upbeat and jovial person. It had been a while since even Naruto, as close to her as he was, had seen this side of her. "Don't worry Kaa-san; I won't put any of my precious people through the pain of losing me if I can help it. That's a promise, and you know I never go back on my word."

Akana cracked a smile; her son always seemed capable of cheering her up. "Good luck then, and stay safe." She watched as Naruto flashed her his trademark grin before running off to join Yugito. The two conversed quickly before leaping into the trees and disappearing from sight.

**Translations:**

Seiteki Bunshin: Static Bunshin. The shinobi forms a solid clone out of static forces. The clone discharges a slight burst of electricity upon being dispelled, if enough of them are dispelled in rapid succession the build up of shocks can cause temporary numbness.

To-Remu Yajuuki: I'll tell you next time.

**Author's Note: Before anyone complains there's a reason I skipped over the fight with Akana. Namely that I don't feel like revealing the powers of To-Remu Yajuuki just yet. Don't worry though, **

**you get a taste of it in the next chapter. That said, I'm encouraged by the response this story has gotten so far. I hope it continues.**

**Oh, and thanks to chm01 for noticing that I forgot translations and said nodachi instead of kodachi. Both problems have been rectified.**


	3. Chapter 2: First Blood

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Naruto and Yugito had been tailing the drug lord and his guards for about an hour now. The pattern was fairly simple. Three guards took point. Another four hung back by three wagons which contained the drug lord and, probably, supplies. Three more of the ronnin formed the rearguard while the remaining pair scouted the area.

Eventually they pitched camp for the day. The wagons were drawn in close and the horses picketed. A pair of ronnin stood watch while the others unloaded supplies from the wagon. The first tent they pitched was enormous, obviously belonging to their target. They proceeded to pitch six more tents, all a great deal more practical than the first. Once camp was set up, they started a fire and cooked dinner. Afterwards, they unloaded some boken and sparred with each other. Naruto and Yugito watched the spars closely, gauging the ronnins' skill. They quickly surmised that although they were quite skilled for regular humans, they'd be no match for trained shinobi. Eventually, the camp settled down for the night. Eight of the ronnin went to sleep. The other four stood watch, two at the perimeter of the camp and two beside their leader's tent.

It had been over two hours since the camp had gone to sleep, and nothing of interest had happened. Naruto was sitting cross-legged on a tree branch. Yugito was sprawled out in front of him, head resting on his lap. "Naruto-kun, have you thought much about our mission?" Her voice was soft, hesitant. It was a far cry from the usual tough, self-assured face she presented to the world."

"You mean about killing for the first time?"

She shifted a bit, snuggling deeper into his comforting presence. "Yeah."

Naruto started stroking Yugito's hair. He had learned years ago that it was one of the best ways to calm her down and comfort her. She was a lot like a cat at times, not that he should find that too surprising. "It's like Kaa-san told me I guess. Kill or be killed, no time to think about anything else. But I somehow doubt it'll actually be that easy. I've been told it gets easier, so we just have to get used to it I guess."

"That's the part that worries me. I don't want to grow cold or callous; I don't want to be jaded. And I don't want you to change like that either."

Naruto leaned back and thought a bit before replying. "Does Kaa-san seem jaded to you?"

"What kind of question is that, she's one of the most lighthearted people I know."

"Yeah, and she can kill without blinking. It's something we'll get used to, something we'll adapt to. But it won't change who we are."

Yugito grinned up at him, "Promise."

"I promise, and you know I always keep my word."

"Yeah, you always do." She wiggled into him a little closer, then just allowed herself to relax and take comfort in his familiar presence. It was times like this that always made her grateful she had gotten him to date her.

The rest of the night was fairly uneventful. Watch was changed every three and a half hours, giving each guard seven hours of sleep. The camp woke in the morning and cooked breakfast before hitching pack animals to the wagons and moving out. They took up the same travel pattern as before. Satisfied that they had seen enough, Naruto took out the tag Akana had given him and concentrated briefly. Then the pair leapt off through the trees to give their report, get some food, and catch some welcome shuteye.

The following night found the two trailing the miniature caravan once more. At first, everything was the same as it was the night before. They used the same travel pattern, set up camp the same, cooked dinner, there were no noticeable differences; at least not until after dinner. A few guards climbed into the rearmost wagon. They emerged a few minutes later, each with a scantily clad, bound woman over their shoulder. Naruto crushed his initial urge to charge into the camp, and placed a restraining hand on Yugito's shoulder to make sure she didn't make a similarly rash action. Naruto pulled the tag from his pocket and channeled chakra into both sides. Yugito leaned over and whispered into his ear, "How long?"

"If they move at Meitoku's speed, which would be my guess, about five minutes."

Yugito glanced down at the men in the camp, who seemed to be working themselves into some sort of frenzy. "What if that's not fast enough?"

Naruto's eyes hardened, and his face took on as frightening of an expression as she had ever seen from him. "Then we go in anyways." The next few minutes were the most trying of either of their lives. They crept closer so they could arrive sooner if necessary, and could hear the men's drunken laughter. Naruto finally had enough when he saw a few guards pull a woman to the ground and hold her spread eagled. "That's it, Megurushi no To-Remu!"

He felt a sudden rush as he tapped into a familiar power. Slate blue tribal markings appeared on his skin, spreading outwards from his tenketsu. There were few of them on his face, but the ones present accentuated his whisker marks and give him a more fox-like appearance. He could feel the transformation in his hands and feet. Nails lengthened and sharpened, turning into deadly weapons. Power surged through him as his bloodline granted him speed and strength, but not quite as much speed as he wanted. He called out again, hearing Yugito's voice along with his. "Shitai no To-Remu!" The markings on his arms and legs pulsed, and his limbs began emitting shimmering slate blue energy. Beside him, Yugito had gone through similar transformations. The only differences were that her markings and aura were a yellow-orange, and that they made her seem more cat-like.

Naruto's shout served its purpose, distracting the ronnin from the women. They turned to see Naruto and Yugito streak out of the woods, moving faster than anything they had ever seen. Naruto burst through the startled ring of ronnin before they even had a chance to react. He didn't even slow down as he picked up the woman on the ground, tearing her from the grip of her captors. Yugito followed a beat 

later, grabbing the two remaining women. Both shinobi made straight for the other side of the circle, intent on bringing the women to safety before dealing with the ronnin.

Only one ronnin managed to react in time, dropping his left foot back and drawing his sword in a battojutsu attack. Naruto grimaced as he saw it. The man had timed it well; he couldn't avoid it without exposing the women he was holding to the hit. He jumped and twisted, meanwhile growling out the name of his next state. "Mantoru no To-Remu."

Naruto's visible markings pulsed again, and more of the slate blue chakra poured out of them. It surrounded him in a layer about half an inch thick on average, and formed the outline of a fox. Once formed, the mantle of chakra seemed to solidify. Unlike most displays of chakra impressive enough to be visible, there was no constant movement. It stayed relatively still, moving only as Naruto did. The ronnin's katana came down towards Naruto's back when the chakra suddenly moved, sliding off to one side. The chakra mantle, combined with the oblique angle Naruto had shifted into, deflected most of the force from the katana strike. Instead of cutting deeply into his back, it served only to carve a long but shallow gash in his back.

He felt a flash of blinding pain at the cut. But he didn't even flinch, didn't let it ruin his concentration. He completed his spin, and se the woman on the ground while still in midair. He landed in a crouch, leaning forward. His left hand was planted on the ground while his right was cocked back, claws spread. No sooner had he landed than he leapt forward again, springing at the ronnin with the bloody sword. The doomed man launched another slash, but to no avail. Naruto's arm, still protected by his Mantoru no To-Remu, swept around in a circular parry and knocked the blade harmlessly aside.

For a second, Naruto's world seemed to slow to a crawl. He was aware of the shrinking distance between him and the ronnin, was aware of his claws poised to strike. He could hear his mother's voice again; telling him that it was him or the enemy, telling him there was no time to hesitate. He almost did anyway. But then he remembered the battered woman behind him. While he may have found it hard to kill when it was only his life in danger, adding the life of an innocent woman into the equation erased all doubt. There was a spray of blood as the man's throat was torn out. Naruto's first kill fell to the ground.

He felt Yugito, her own Mantoru no To-Remu activated in the form of a yellow-orange cat, press her back to his. Their minds fell back to the hundreds of hours of taijutsu training that they had been through together. Their minds synchronized as they prepared to battle together once more, the ronnin never had a chance.

Naruto caught a descending katana between his hands. He spun to the side, ripping the katana out of the man's hand and leaving him defenseless. Yugito's claws flashed in Naruto's wake and ripped open the man's abdomen. He collapsed, his viscera spreading over the ground. Still holding the blade by the tip, Naruto swung it at the next ronnin in line. He was able to raise his own blade to block easily. But Naruto hadn't been trying to score a hit. He had let go of the weapon and reversed his spin before the blades ever made contact. But now the man's sword was high and far to one side. He had no defense as Yugito's kick smashed into his temple and cracked his skull.

Naruto leapt over a low slash from the next ronnin. He twisted as he jumped, sending his body into a flat spin. He hooked his arms around the man's head in midair, and let the momentum of his spin break the ronnin's neck with a sharp crack. He landed in perfect balance in front of his next foe. The ronnin had already begun an attack, but it would never have the chance to land. Naruto's left hand shot out with frightening speed, hitting the man on the chin with a palm strike that snapped his head up. The claws of Naruto's feet dug into the ground, increasing traction as his body pivoted. He drove his right fist into the man's exposed throat, and felt the wind pipe collapse under the force of the blow.

Naruto looked behind him to see Yugito's third kill drop to the ground. The rest of the ronnin were running, along with the drug lord. At least they started to run. Two of them collapsed to the ground, screaming as arcs of electricity crackled across their bodies. The remaining enemies stopped as they saw Meitoku standing fifty feet in front of them, with Akana right behind him. The remaining four ronnin made their decision quickly, despite the protests of their leader. Four katana dropped to the ground as the ronnin raised their hands in surrender.

"Well what do you know," Akana's voice rang out over the camp, "It seems like you guys are smarter than you look. Meitoku, move their weapons away from them. Naruto, bind them with ninja wire. Wrists get tied together behind their back and either ankle gets tied to their neighbors. Yugito, come with me to check on their prisoners."

Naruto released his Mantoru no To-Remu as he walked over to the prisoners, but kept the first stage of his bloodline active until they were all securely bound. Not that he thought he'd need it against them, but it did add to intimidation and would help deter any rash actions. He felt is body return to normal as he released the transformation and stretched a bit. It always took a little bit to get used to his standard form after using Megurushi no To-Remu. While he was stretching Meitoku got a good look at his back. "You're injured."

"Not any more, that healing factor comes in handy. I'm going to have to get this shirt patched up though."

Naruto noticed Akana walking over as he finished speaking. The cold fury in her gaze caused the bound prisoners to squirm uncomfortably. "Naruto, Meitoku; follow me. We need to discuss our present situation. And you," the men visibly cringed as her attention was refocused on them. She flashed through a quick series of hand seals and formed a bunshin. "I'll be watching over you. And if you so much as think about trying to escape you'll wish I had let my students finish you off. Do I make myself clear?" The captive men nodded dumbly. Satisfied, Akana spun on her heel and walked away; followed closely by her two students.

Akana waited until they were out of earshot of their captives before turning to face her students. The fury was gone from her gaze as he faced them, replaced with gentle concern. "How are you feeling?"

That's when it all came back to Naruto. At the time he had buried it behind the needs of the moment, ignored it while he concentrated on the fight at hand. Even afterwards he had been able to push it out of his mind as he secured the prisoners. But now; in his mind's eye he could see the face of his first 

victim as the ronnin realized he was about to die. He could still feel the second man's neck snap, and the third man vainly gasping for air. He found himself staring at his right hand, still stained with blood. "I killed them, three of them," his voice came out as a whisper, "It was just like you said. No time to think, no time to worry about morals. They were just obstacles, things I needed to get out of my way. But then, when I killed them, I felt vindicated. I was happy when they died." His voice started trailing off, "Why was I happy?"

"Because they were wretched, evil men." Akana's voice was clear, without a hint of hesitation. "They had kidnapped those women, and beaten them. They hadn't violated them yet, but you could see easily enough what would have happened if you hadn't interfered. In killing the ronnin you protected those innocent women, that's something to be proud of. Even so, you killed for the first time today. Don't expect it to be easy, it never is. Just give it time, and you'll come to accept it. If any of you find yourselves having trouble coming to terms with what you did, come find me. It's one of the things I'm here for.

Naruto, Yugito; I'm impressed with the restraint you showed today. Many gennin confronted with a situation they felt so strongly about would have jumped straight in, especially if they believed their opponent to be weaker than them. Instead, you waited for back up to arrive, which is never a bad idea in the shinobi world. I can't blame you for going in when you did either. Just remember, if you ever find yourself facing significantly talented opposition while you're on Team Four wait for me no matter what.

For now though, we need to cook some dinner and get those women fed. After that we'll rest for the night. We'll rest for eight hours. Yugito has first watch, Naruto second, I'll take third, and Meitoku will have fourth. Tomorrow morning we'll hitch the wagons and turn them around. If we go down the path for two hours we'll reach an intersection that'll take us to the closest town, we should be able to reach it by sundown. Once we get there we'll drop off the women and the ronnin we captured, then we take our target back to Kumogakure. Oh, and I got the name of our drug lord. He's called Reiziro."

"How will the former captives get back to their homes?"

Akana allowed herself a wry grin, Meitoku seemed to be as pragmatic as ever. "We'll be arriving at a fairly large town, so quite a bit of trade goes through it. Money won't be an issue, there's enough of it in those wagons to buy them passage. They should even have enough left over to get some decent clothing." Naruto shuddered a bit at the cold tone in his mother's voice. She had absolutely no tolerance for any source of abuse directed at women. The kidnappers were lucky she was handing them over to the authorities. If she had decided to deal with them personally their fate would have been much more unpleasant.

The group moved out early the next morning. Akana was driving the lead wagon, which also contained the women they had rescued. Yugito had told Meitoku, who really hadn't wanted to argue the point, that he was driving the middle wagon. She, of course, rode in the last wagon which was driven by Naruto. However, this left her with nothing to occupy herself with. Inevitably, she got bored. After a brief search of the wagon's contents revealed nothing to amuse herself with she decided to use Naruto.

She spent the next half hour taxing his concentration. She ran her fingers through his hair, nibbled on his earlobe, leaned in close. In other words, decided to be just as appealing and distracting as possible. Naruto was, understandably, having significant difficulties concentrating on the task at hand. "Umm, Yugito-chan."

"Yes?"

"I'm, uh, trying to concentrate on driving the wagon here."

"Any particular reason you're telling me this?"

"Well, you're being kind of distracting."

"How so?"

Naruto made a soft growling sound from the back of his throat before speaking in a tone that clearly betrayed his impatience. "Yugito,"

"Well, it just so happens that I'm bored, and there's nothing else of interest in this wagon. So you're just going to have to deal with it."

"Like hell I will." Naruto performed a few quick hand seals, then thrust the reigns into the hands of a startled Seiteki Bunshin. Yugito let out a small squeak of surprise and anticipation as Naruto's tackle carried the couple into the back of the wagon.

Team Four made it to the city Akana had mentioned during the early evening hours. After the wagons had been driven up to the station kept by local authorities she had given them a voucher stamped with the seal of Kumogakure and told them to find a hotel for the night. The three gennin had promptly found a four-room suite, designed with ninja teams in mind, and settled down to wait for Akana's arrival. She made it four hours later, with a distinctly disgruntled expression on her face. "I hate dealing with administrators. I swear, the more I work with them the more I'm convinced they're all idiots, with the possible exception of Raikage-sama."

"What happened?"

"Mainly, it's just that they draw everything out. I should have been able to have everything sorted out in about half an hour. But no, I was there for three hours. Now come on. We're getting dinner; I'll tell you what we're doing from there."

They scoured the city briefly, before finding a barbecue restaurant. Once there, Akana decided to elaborate. "Well, the law enforcement agencies of this town are going to take care of the ronnin we caught. They're also going to sort through the wagons and their contents, so that's one less thing we'll have to worry about. They did try to pass off the responsibility of getting those women home on us, but I put my foot down on that. They were rather, shocked, to find out how adamant I could be." A spark jumped from Akana's fingertips to the table during her last sentence.

"Kaa-san, didn't you tell us not to assault civilian authorities, ever?"

"Yes, but they were getting on my nerves. And I still expect you to abide by that rule." She ignored Naruto's subsequent mutterings about hypocrisy. "Anyways, since I've arranged for law enforcement to take care of that we'll be leaving tomorrow for Kumogakure with the Reiziro. I'll carry him, which means our travel speed shouldn't suffer. So we should be back home four days from now." As an afterthought she threw in, "Naruto, keep your elbows off the table. I taught you better manners than that." This, of course, caused Naruto to spout another diatribe about how much it sucked to have his mother as a jounin-sensei. Akana just grinned and ignored him. Embarrassing your child, she concluded, could just be so much fun.

The team hit the road early next morning, with the Reiziro trussed like a pig and slung over Akana's shoulder. He spent the entire time throwing insults at them, the girls especially. At lunch, Naruto took note of the less than amused expressions on both females' faces and decided to give the man fair warning. "You know, I'd watch my mouth if I were you. While it is considered unbecoming for a shinobi to strike a prisoner, many kunoichi have rather short tempers. After seeing your captives Yugito-chan and Akana-sensei are already on a short fuse."

Naruto flicked his head aside to avoid the glob of spit Reiziro launched his way. "Shut yer mouth brat. I don't need any advice from a snot-nosed kid like you."

"Suit yourself, but don't say I didn't give you fair warning."

Later that night, Naruto was shaken awake by Yugito to begin second watch. Emerging from his tent, he wasn't at all surprised to see Reiziro sporting a black eye and a split lip. "I do recall advising you to shut up."

He expected another quick, angry, blunt, unimaginative, and coarse retort. Instead he heard his captive speak in a low, calm voice. "You brats disgust me."

Naruto sat down on a tree branch before replying in a cheerful voice, "What was that?"

"I said you disgust me, all of you. All full of your cheerful optimism. So sure that you're in the right, that your pure morals are absolute."

"Do you think we're idiots? We know the world isn't that simple. Right and wrong is subjective, so are morals and ethics. A person's actions will align themselves with that person's own take on morality, that's why the elemental nations war. Power, however, is absolute. That's why the elemental nations exist. Individuals are left to find a way to balance their morals with those of the greater powers in the world.

That's what I've done. Sure, I'll be forced to do things that I may not like. But I'll be doing far more things that I do approve of and I'll eventually be in a position of power, able to use my influence to exert my morals on the world. I've found a place where I can do more good than bad. You, however, have openly flouted authority and brought harm to countless innocent people. Morality may just be shades 

of gray, but you're close corrupt enough that I'm not conflicted about stopping you in the least. Now, if you'll shut up I have to keep watch." The man opened his mouth, but Naruto cut him off. "I said to shut up. Can you do it yourself or do I have to do it for you?" The man wisely decided to shut up.

Naruto was relieved from his watch by Meitoku, who seemed just as fed up with their prisoner as Naruto was. He did hide it much better though, but Naruto figured that if Reiziro pushed Meitoku too far he'd regret it. Akana had the final watch, and was still upset over the captive females he had kept. Needless to say, Reiziro was much less outspoken for the rest of the journey. Nevertheless, Team Four was excited when they finally pulled into view of Kumo. Once they got there they could drop their prisoner off and wouldn't have to worry about him again.

What they weren't expecting was to find a sealed letter waiting for them at the gate. "Order's from Raikage-sama," one of the guards explained. "Leave your captive here; someone will be along to pick him up soon. You're supposed to report directly to Raikage-Sama's office to give your report."

"The Raikage wants an oral report about a C-rank mission," the skepticism was apparent in Akana's voice. "He almost never personally debriefs shinobi about anything less than A-rank."

The chuunin shrugged, "Hey, I just read the orders. I didn't give them."

Akana shrugged, then dropped her captive unceremoniously to the dirt. "Better see what he wants then. "Team Four, follow me." She ran into the village before leaping to the rooftops and making her way toward the Raikage's tower. They arrived shortly, then Akana gave a full and detailed report of their mission. When she finished Team Four stood at attention, awaiting the Raikage's response.

"Very good, you handled yourselves admirably. Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I called your team here for a personal debriefing." He paused for a moment to examine the team, finding the expected looks of curiosity on all of their faces. "The truth is, I didn't call you here for a debriefing. You have another C-rank. Now I know it's unusual for a rookie gennin team to be given two of them in a row, but Akana has had the most experience with this guy out of all our shinobi here."

She leaned forward slightly, "Who?" In response, the Raikage tossed her a folder. She snatched it out of the air and flipped it open, glancing at the photo. A look of resignation crossed her face as she glared at the Raikage. "Sometimes I hate you." The Raikage just grinned.

**Translations**

**To-Remu Yajuuki: Roughly translates to Totem Beast ki, with ki being an oriental term for life force or life energy. This is the name given to the bloodline shared by Naruto and Yugito**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Shitai no To-Remu: Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Note from the Author: Hope you enjoyed the chapter and your first glimpse of the Yo-Temu Rajuuki bloodline. You'll get a full explanation of it during the chuunin exams.**


	4. Chapter 3: An Unexpected Encounter

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Akana gave a full and detailed report of their mission. When she finished Team Four stood at attention, awaiting the Raikage's response. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk before speaking. "Very good, you handled yourselves admirably. Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I called your team here for a personal debriefing." He paused for a moment to examine the team, finding the expected looks of curiosity on all of their faces. "The truth is, I didn't call you here for a debriefing. You have another C-rank. Now I know it's unusual for a rookie gennin team to be given two of them in a row, but Akana has had the most experience with this guy out of all our shinobi here."

She leaned forward slightly, "What guy?" In response, the Raikage tossed her a folder. She snatched it out of the air and flipped it open, glancing at the photo. A look of resignation crossed her face as she glared at the Raikage. "Sometimes I hate you." He just grinned.

Naruto tried to keep quiet, but didn't quite manage it. "Hey, three day ago you threatened me if I didn't show Raikage-sama more respect!"

"He was my jounin-sensei, I'm entitled."

"Yeah, of course you'd get the exception. What's so bad about this guy we need to catch anyways?"

She groaned again, "We're going after Kazuhiko Izanagi. He's the most two-faced, smooth talking, treacherous bastard I've ever met. He's probably the most aggravating and soulless person I've ever met as well." She turned to face the Raikage again. "Why do I have to go find him?"

"He stole a document that was en route to the Lightning Daimyo, who wants it back. Izanagi specializes in stealth and infiltration, so his combat skills are severely lacking. This makes the mission a C-rank. You're going because you've had more experience dealing with and finding him than anyone else in the village."

"Lucky me,"

The Raikage continued as if he hadn't heard her, "Intelligence suggests that he's in Nagunta City, and that folder contains just about anything that could be of help to you. You'll have two days to relax a bit and brief your team, then you head out. Are there any questions?"

"Can't Nagao do it instead?"

The Raikage fixed Akana with a level stare, "He could, but I gave the mission to you."

"Did I mention earlier that I hate you sometimes?"

The Raikage rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "Dismissed."

As Team Four walked through the streets Akana's irritation was plain to see. They moved in silence for several seconds before Meitoku finally spoke. "Raikage-sama mentioned that you've had dealings with the man before?"

"Yeah, I've worked with and against him. The man has no morals, and no sense of loyalty to anybody except himself and anyone he happens to be working with at the moment. Like the Raikage said, he's a pushover when it comes to combat. But that doesn't mean he's not dangerous. The man is a genius when it comes to stealth and infiltration, easily better than most ANBU. He uses that ability to steal secrets and documents of all kinds."

"You said you've worked against him," Meitoku interjected, "does that mean he actively works against Rai no Kuni?"

"Yes and no, he's worked against our nation. But does so less than he works against everyone else, which is why he's tolerated. His actions hurt our enemies more than they hurt us. Balancing his pros against his cons I suppose. It's a smart move on his part though; give him one place that'll tolerate him. It's rather typical of his way of thinking."

"So you know a lot about him then."

"More than just about anybody else in this village, and I've got a day to fill you in." True to her word, Akana spent the next two days drilling everything she knew about Izanagi into their heads. They learned about his looks, mannerisms, speech patterns, about the minor genjutsus he could use to great effect when evading pursuit, and much more. Her gennin began to feel as though they knew the man, despite never having been anywhere near him.

The Team left in the early morning as soon after the two days given to them by the Raikage were up. They covered ground quickly, moving to the southwest corner of Rai no Kuni. Moving at full speed, they arrived in about two and a half days. They barely even slowed as they entered the city, moving straight for the hotel that had been booked for them. They arrived panting, slightly out of breath.

"Akana-sensei," Yugito's voice broke the silence, "Was it really wise to enter like that? Izanagi's sure to know there are ninja about now."

"That's the point. The man is extremely inquisitive; he won't be able to resist trying to figure out why we're here. And if we have him sniffing around trying to find us instead of trying to lay low it'll be a lot easier to find him."

"I see."

"Good. Now, he's likely to come snooping around later tonight so we have to be paying attention. In other words stay alert for nearby chakra signatures. Naruto, Yugito, I'm going to have one of you waiting on the roof since you two are better able to suppress your chakra signature. With luck, we can find him tonight. But for now, let's eat."

Naruto ended up drawing the short straw and was stuck waiting outside. He was crouched on a slightly taller building that overlooked his hotel. He had a black bandanna tied over his bright yellow hair, but it did little to stop the rain that had started about an hour after he got outside. He was wet, cold, and in a very bad mood. Izanagi, he decided, had better show up soon. He didn't, and Naruto spent five hours crouched outside with no sign of his quarry.

Then, at about three o'clock in the morning he sensed something. There was a chakra signature slowly approaching from the north. Naruto crushed the sudden surge of elation; he couldn't afford to let his emotions ruin his concentration and cause his chakra to spike. He slowly shifted position, changing his field of view and spotting a shadowy figure moving slowly across the rooftops. He moved quickly yet stealthily to the roof of the hotel. No sooner had he touched down than Akana appeared on the roof with a crackle of electricity. Naruto also saw Yugito and Meitoku burst out the window and sprint up the side of the building. "Izanagi," Akana's voice rang out clearly, "we need to talk."

"Akana, it's been a while hasn't it?" Izanagi's voice was smooth; and dripped with charm, sincerity, and charisma. He completely ignored Yugito and Meitoku as they arrived on the roof alongside Akana. "Let's see four, no five years. Yes, back when we stole that trade information from the Water Daimyo."

"I'm not here to talk about the past."

"You never seem to be, always so serious and full of business. You need to learn to relax a little. I'd help, but unfortunately I must be going." He broke to his right suddenly, sprinting towards the edge of the roof. Meitoku didn't even seem to notice him moving. Naruto picked up on his other teammates' reactions as well. Yugito stared at his former position for about a second before shrugging something off and sprinting after him while Akana quickly brought her hands up in the ram sign before giving chase. The man had obviously used a genjutsu.

Izanagi was fast, and was gone from the rooftop in the blink of an eye. Luckily, however, he was moving towards Naruto. The aforementioned gennin was still hard pressed to catch him though. He landed on the far corner of the building and leapt off almost immediately. Naruto had sprinted across the building as soon as he saw Izanagi move, and just managed to catch the older man's ankle. He whirled, and tossed the infiltrator back towards the center of the roof.

Izanagi was caught by surprise, and hit the roof in an undignified heap. He was back on his feet quickly though, and Naruto got his first good look at their quarry. The man was completely unremarkable in appearance. He was of standard height, standard weight, plain face, brown eyes, black hair. Even his clothes were unremarkable, made of drab colored cloth and in a plain cut. Only by observing his eyes closely could one tell that there was anything special about the man. They had a shifty intelligence, and spoke of a lifetime of experience. Naruto noted how they were darting around the rooftop, obviously looking for an escape route.

"So the fourth member of the team makes his appearance, I was wondering when you'd show up." The grin soon faded from his face though, and Naruto knew why. He had felt the chakra lacing Izanagi's 

words, a sound-based genjutsu. It never quite caught a firm hold on Naruto however, and he was able to shrug it off with minimal effort.

"I'm sorry; you'll find that that won't work too well on me."

"Didn't work too well on your kunoichi teammate either. You're them aren't you, the wielders of this To-Remu Yajuuk bloodlinei I keep hearing about."

Naruto grinned as the rest of his team arrived. "That's right, so if you'd just cooperate for a second…"

Izanagi flashed a grim smile. "Sorry kid, but it's not like genjutsu is the only thing I've got up my sleeve." He shifted his weight slightly, and the area was suddenly enveloped in smoke. When it cleared, Izanagi was gone. Yugito and Naruto were both moving in slow circles, their Megurushi no To-Remu was active and they had enacted another stage as well. They now had slitted pupils, and their irises had adopted the color of their markings. There was also chakra surrounding their ears, taking on a form suggestive of those of a cat or fox.

"Well," asked Akana, "anything?"

Naruto growled in frustration. "No, not even with Ishiki no To-Remu. We can catch his scent where he was standing, but then it's like he just disappeared."

"We'll split up then. Naruto and Yugito will pair up, Meitoku's with me. Search the area in concentric circles; he has to have left some trace of where he went." The four shinobi leapt off the roof in a blur.

Izanagi was standing on the top floor of the building, and let out a sigh of relief as he felt them leave. He had phased through the roof to escape his pursuers. It was a useful escape jutsu that he had just learned. It was nigh impossible to sense it being used, there was no sound and no chakra surge like what would be felt with a shunshin. He was lucky to have it; Akana was highly gifted in genjutsu. And however To-Remu Yajuuki helped its bearers, it seemed to make them highly resistant to genjutsu. He'd have to lay low for the rest of the night, and leave tomorrow.

The following morning a team of very disgruntled shinobi met back at their hotel room. They had spent all night running around the city, and not seen hide nor hair of Izanagi. "Damn," Naruto muttered, "I've never seen anybody just disappear like that. Not even Raikage-sama."

"That's because Izanagi has trained exclusively in stealth and infiltration. I don't even know how he pulled that escape off, and I've worked alongside him before. Even when you're allied with him he hides his abilities. He'll use genjutsu to cover up many of the things he does, and always insists on splitting up."

"I get the picture. Got any idea as to what he'll do next?"

"Oh that's easy, he's going to leave."

"Wait, all that talk about how unpredictable and secretive he is. And you can just predict his next move that easily?"

"Oh, I can't predict his next move."

"But you just said he's going to leave."

"I can predict the purpose of his next move; I know he'll want to get out of here. What I don't know is how. He could climb the walls, leave under disguise, hide in a wagon, leave under a genjutsu. There's no way to tell."

"So how are we supposed to catch him?"

"We're going to patrol the city and try to sense his chakra signature."

"Wonderful," the sarcasm was evident in Naruto's voice. "When do we start?"

"Now."

Naruto groaned. He had barely gotten a few hours of sleep before he had gone out to watch for Izanagi the previous night. Then he spent half the night crouched on a rooftop, in the rain. He proceeded to spend the rest of the night running around the entire city, also in the rain. Now he was going to run all around the edges of the city, and the kami-forsaken rain still hadn't stopped. He sighed; it was shaping up to be a crappy day. He bit back his complaint, though, and leapt after Yugito as the pair took off to continue scouring the city.

Two hours later Naruto was really starting to get annoyed, and a bit fatigued. He had spent two and a half days of hard travel, a night spent running around in the rain, followed by a day spent running around in the rain. If it wasn't for his inhuman stamina he doubted he'd even be aware of his surroundings. Stamina or no, his fatigue got the better of him and he stumbled as he landed on the next roof.

Yugito placed a steadying hand on his shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just starting to get a bit tired is all. I didn't get to sleep in shifts like the rest of you."

"Then you shouldn't draw the short straw next time."

"If I'd have known it was the short straw, do you really think I'd have drawn it?"

"Whatever, just settle down and get a little bit of rest. Then we can keep going." Naruto nodded and leaned back against a cooling unit on the roof. As he let himself relax he found his mind drifting back to his brief encounter with Izanagi last night. Something was bothering him, but he couldn't quite place it. Wait, that was it. He had been fleeing to the east. They had already been fairly close to the eastern edge of the city, and there were no more gates in the walls any further in that direction. In fact, the walls themselves stopped where they met a massive series of cliffs. Izanagi couldn't have been planning on climbing them, they were made of shale. Loose, slippery shale that would crash down and slice apart 

anyone that was foolish enough to climb it. It made that section of the town very dangerous, the only things there were heavily reinforced warehouses that contained cargo from boats moving along the river.

"That's it!" he shot to his feet, all fatigue forgotten. "The river!"

"What do you mean the river?"

"Last night, when he was fleeing from the rooftop, he was headed east. There's nothing east of there except warehouses and the docks. He was heading to the river, it was his first instinct. He's going to use it to get out of the city. Come on."

"Wait, Naruto, are you sure?" But Naruto was already gone, leaping along the rooftops as he headed towards the river. Yugito bit back a curse and leapt after him, thumbing the radio on her belt so she could tell Akana where they were going. Naruto didn't stop until he reached the last tall building that overlooked the docks. Upon arrival, he stood at the age and stared down at the streets below. Yugito landed next to him, "River huh? I don't see him."

"I don't know when he's leaving Yugito-chan, only where he's doing it from. Wait, there!" Yugito followed Naruto's pointing finger and, sure enough, a figure could be seen running down the street between rows of warehouses.

Yugito opened her mouth to give him a plan of pursuit, but Naruto was already gone. "He can be so impulsive at times," she grumbled. Then she hit the switch on her radio. "Akana-sensei, we have visual contact among the warehouses by the river. We're initiating pursuit."

Akana's voice came back, garbled slightly by static. "Understood, Meitoku and I are on our way." Yugito switched the radio back to standby mode and leapt off after Naruto. The aforementioned blonde was making good time. He had guessed Izanagi's route correctly and put on all speed. He landed in the middle of an alley about fifteen seconds before Izanagi came sprinting around the corner.

He pulled up short as he saw Naruto waiting for him. "Oh, you too. My day keeps getting better and better."

"This doesn't have to be so difficult, if you'd just be willing to surrender the scr-" Naruto was cut off as another cloud of smoke obscured the man. This time, however, he was able to notice Izanagi's chakra signature slipping into a warehouse. With a grin of triumph, he ran up the wall and through a window, throwing himself headlong inside.

He landed on a stack of crates, and just glimpsed a shadowy figure run by underneath him. He gave chase, but Izanagi managed to lose him in the warehouse. He was, however, forced to give himself away while opening a door to get out. Naruto arrived at a dead sprint and almost bowled over Yugito as he ran outside.

"About time I found you, start thinking before you run off!"

Naruto grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "Heh, sorry Yugito-chan. Guess I just got carried away."

"Obviously. Anyways, Akana-sensei should be here soon. Then we should be able to get him."

Naruto's expression went from sheepish to serious in the blink of an eye. "Wait, you mean she's not already here?"

"No, she's on the far side of the city with Meitoku, why?"

"He said you too. When Izanagi saw me he said "Oh, you too." He had someone else chasing him as well, and if it's not Akana-sensei…"

"Then we've got competition."

"Yeah," The familiar markings of Megurushi no To-Remu appeared on Naruto's skin, and he activated Ishiki no To-Remu soon after. He gave a brief sigh, still amazed at how greatly his senses were enhanced. He twisted his head slightly, catching Izanagi's scent. "This way, come on." The two shinobi took off at a dead run; now they really needed to catch their quarry quickly.

Izanagi was fast though, and was able to lead them on quite a chase. He was also able to work his way back to more populated areas. Naruto found that out the hard way, turning a corner and nearly trampling a purple-clad girl. He grabbed her by the shoulders briefly as he ran buy, steadying her. Then he ran on with her cries of anger ringing in his ears.

Their chase came to an abrupt, though hopefully temporary end, as they charged into a building only to find it empty. It was at that moment that Akana landed behind them. "Where is he?"

"Good question," Naruto snarled, angry at himself for letting the man get away. "He's just so damn slippery, we can't keep track of him. He has to be close though, we saw him run into this building and we aren't under a genjutsu. Oh, he also alluded to someone else trying to chase him down."

"Did he give you any clue as to who they are?"

"Nope, not at all. All I know is that we're probably not the only ones trying to catch this guy."

"Nothing ever seems to go well that involves this guy. Okay, from now on we move as a unit. Let's see if we can sense his chakra, we need to catch him fast." Before the gennin could voice their agreement an explosion rumbled throughout the district, likely from a large explosive tag. The four of them exchanged glances, then raced off. They arrived at the smoking crater about a minute later. Naruto and Yugito immediately took a few sniffs and conferred with each other, then turned to address their teammates.

"There were four people here. Izanagi was one, along with another male in his twenties. There were also three people about our age; two male and one female."

Akana looked up from where she was analyzing the crater. "Must have been another gennin team. Did anybody get caught in the blast?"

"Doubtful, there's no blood."

"Okay then, start trying to find chakra signatures. See if you can pick out a group of three that have reserves around gennin-level. The other team searching for Izanagi saw him last, so they'll have a better idea of where he is now then we do. They're also going to be a lot easier to sense than he is. Hell, the jounin with them might be easier to sense than Izanagi."

"Got them," Naruto and Yugito spoke simultaneously, both having picked up on the chakra signature's of the three gennin almost instantly.

Akana nodded, having picked up on the signatures as well. "Okay, let's go." Team Four set off and Akana soon noticed something. "They're moving towards us."

Naruto grinned, "Hopefully that means they're herding Izanagi in our direction."

Meitoku briefly adjusted the kodachi at his hip before speaking. "That is a distinct possibity, and a most welcome one at that. I've grown weary of chasing this one."

Yugito quirked an eyebrow, "Wow Meitoku, that has to be the most words I've ever heard you speak at once."

Akana cut in before Meitoku could reply. "Quiet, if Izanagi is coming towards us we don't want to alert him of our presence before he arrives. Talk if you have to; otherwise keep your mouths closed." The four shinobi hurtled forward in the tense silence, each of them hoping that their chase was finally at its end.

They rounded a corner to see Izanagi sprinting towards them. He skidded to an abrupt stop and spun around, only to see four more shinobi turn that corner. They all bore Konoha hitaites. A bearded jounin met Akana's gaze as he removed a cigarette from his mouth and stomped it out beneath his heel. "You were one of Kumo's diplomats. It's been what now, ten years?"

"Yeah, ten years," she turned to regard her team, "It should go without saying, but we can't let them get that scroll."

The jounin turned to his team as well, "Well, looks like you'll get a bit of a fight after all."

It was the dark-haired boy standing behind his sensei that, in Akana's opinion, summed up the situation quite nicely. "How troublesome."

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. **

**Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Ishiki no To-Remu: Translates to Senses of the Totem. User's eyes change to resemble that of their totem. Chakra will also outline the user's ears. This stage of To-Remu Yajuuki greatly enhances all five senses of its user.**


	5. Chapter 4: All for Nothing

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Izanagi looked back and forth at the teams standing at both ends of the alley. "Well, I certainly seem to be popular today. Why don't you just duke it out and the winner can come find me?" Izanagi suddenly found himself on the receiving end of eight incredulous stares. "What, I thought it was at least worth a shot." The alley lapsed into a tense silence as all three sides prepared for fight, or flight.

It was broken rather suddenly. "Hey, you're the guy who almost ran me over earlier!" With a start, Naruto realized that he did indeed recognize the purple-clad girl who had just stepped out from behind her sensei. "You should be more careful! That street was all muddy, and you almost knocked me down!"

"Ino, this isn't the time."

"But Asuma-sensei,"

"I said this isn't the time. Right now we have a real problem," there was a slight emphasis put on the word real, "we need to get that scroll off of him. I'll take Akana, the jounin with them. The three of you are going to have to get that scroll off of Izanagi. Shikamaru, do you think the three of you can handle that?"

"We'll have to see, I don't know anything about their capabilities yet."

"Well try anyways."

Shikamaru sighed, "How troublesome."

Akana turned to look at her team. "The jounin with them is Sarutobi Asuma, the Sandaime's son. You're not ready to face him yet, so I'll have to deal with him. His gennin team looks like they're related to the Ino-Shika-Chou trio from the Third Great Ninja War, probably their children, so be careful. Just remember, we need to make sure that Izanagi doesn't get away too. The Ino-Shika-Chou trio have significant political influence in Konoha, and they have significant influence in Konoha. We're already on shaky terms with that village, so no killing unless you have no choice."

"This is just a mess isn't it?" Naruto reactivated his Megurushi no To-Remu has he spoke, flexing his claws before closing his hands into fists.

Asuma's eyes narrowed at the far side of the alley. "Huh, I've never seen anything like that before, and to not use any hand signs."

"It's their bloodline, To-Remu Yajuuki. It was created ten years ago by some sort of sealing incident."

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he turned to regard Izanagi, his limbs becoming outlined in chakra as he activated Shitai no To-Remu. "You really need to learn how to shut up sometimes." He sprang forward with eye-blurring speed. Asuma cursed and leapt forward as well, prompting a similar reaction from 

Akana. Izanagi looked at the foes charging from both sides, and quickly decided that discretion was the better part of valor. Sticking to the walls, he scaled them and got out of harm's way. Naruto and Asuma were left bearing down on each other.

Naruto remembered Akana's warning, and his thoughts went along much the same lines as Izanagi's. He slowed his pace slightly, allowing Akana to catch up to him. Then just before he reached Asuma he stopped suddenly, racing off to one side. Asuma had his trench knives out to the sides of his body, preparing to fend off the wide, sweeping blows that were invariably used with claws. Akana took full advantage of this, driving a punch through his defenses that sent him reeling. He reacted on instinct, swiping across with his trench knives as he stumbled back. Akana pulled back, her instincts warning her about something. Her caution paid off as she saw a deep gash appear in the wall of the alley, a full foot away from Asuma's knife.

That was all Naruto saw of their fight as he raced up the wall after Izanagi. With the speed boost he gained from Shitai no To-Remu he caught the man fairly quickly, and Yugito soon pulled up on the other side of him. Seeing that running wasn't going to get him anywhere Izanagi went to ground, well figuratively at least. He landed on a roof and spun to face his pursuers. They stood staring at each other briefly before Naruto broke the silence. "So, you've finally given up on running away have you."

"Of course not, I'm just waiting for the rest of them to catch up. Most gennin can't move as quickly as we can you know." Naruto spun around, just in time to see a giant green ball rolling towards him. He recognized the Akimichi clan's Nikatanku no Jutsu, and knew he didn't want to get hit by it. Unfortunately, even with Shitai no To-Remu he didn't have time to move out of the way. Instead, the chakra around his limbs changed, appearing more intense and compact as he tapped into another aspect of his bloodline.

He dug his feet in and met the attack as he growled out the name of the latest aspect of his bloodline. "Chikara no To-Remu!" He brought his hands forward, halting the hurtling ball of Akimichi when it was about half a foot away. The stop was only temporary however. The Akimichi kept rolling, and Naruto felt himself being slowly pushed backwards. He growled again as he looked behind him, there wasn't much real estate between him and the edge of the roof. If he didn't do something soon he was going to get pushed off.

He grinned as an idea crossed his mind. If it didn't work he was going to be hurting, a lot. Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained. He threw himself backwards, landing flat on his back and letting the Akimichi roll forward. Naruto acted quickly, he had little choice if he wanted to avoid being run over. He slid his feet under the Akimichi's leading edge and heaved upwards, lifting the Akimichi's bulk into the air.

His knees and elbows bent, allowing the rolling attack to get dangerously close. Even with the strength provided by this aspect of his bloodline he couldn't hold this much weight for long, but he didn't have to. With a cry of effort he thrust his limbs straight upwards while rocking back on his shoulder blades. He hurled the Akimichi off of him, sending the Konoha-nin skipping across an adjacent rooftop before crashing down into an alley.

Naruto flipped to his feet, and let an amused smile creep onto his face at the look of shocked amazement worn on Ino's face. Yugito's voice snapped him out of his brief reverie, "Naruto, watch the shadow!" He snapped his gaze down to the roof, and saw a shadow snaking his way towards him from the pineapple-haired boy standing on the corner of the roof. He leapt backwards, leaping nimbly across the roof just ahead of the shadow. Naruto shot his gaze over to Izanagi as he leapt back from the shadow.

"Yugito, he's using this as a distraction to get away." Yugito growled, and moved to block off Izanagi's escape. Unfortunately, the Akimichi picked that moment to hop back onto the rooftop. His arrival forced Yugito to skid to a stop, allowing Izanagi an open escape route. But he was soon forced to stop as well. Three kunai that embedded themselves in the roof ahead of him, announcing Meitoku's presence.

"This is so troublesome."

"What do you mean Shikamaru?" Naruto turned to look at Ino, who had asked the question. "Sure it's a fight, but they're just gennin like us."

"It's not just a fight Ino, we need to keep track of Izanagi too. We also have to worry about their bloodline, which we know very little about."

"Oh."

Shikamaru turned to look at his other teammate. "Chouji, how are you feeling?"

He answered between bites of potato chips. "A little sore, that throw was impressive. I've never even heard of that happening to anyone in my clan."

"Yeah, he's pretty good. And we haven't' even seen what his teammates are capable of yet. But since Izanagi mentioned that the girl shares a bloodline with him it's likely that they have similar capabilities. The other one seems to be a weapons specialist, but aside from that we know little about them. We don't really even know too much about the guy who tossed you. Our capabilities however, are more well-known due to the fame of our fathers." He sighed, "How troublesome."

Naruto scanned the rooftop quickly, assessing the situation. "Yugito, try to get that scroll from Izanagi. Meitoku, you're with me. We need to keep the Konoha-nin off of her back." Meitoku nodded in agreement. "Okay then," Naruto let his Chikara no To-Remu fade, "let's go."

Akana twirled backwards, gracefully avoiding a slash of Asuma's knife. She had learned rather quickly that blocking those knives with her kunai only led to holding kunai halves. She stumbled with his next attack, allowing the knife to carve a deep gash across her abdomen. Asuma frowned as she disappeared, swirling away into nothingness. Asuma just continued the sweep of his blade, drawing a superficial cut across his forearm and using the pain to break the genjutsu more easily.

Akana was revealed standing at the entrance of the alley, arms crossed in front of her. "Are the knives really necessary? Neither of us wants to create an incident by killing the other during a C-rank."

Asuma straightened, ignoring her previous comment as he asked his own question, "It's him isn't it, Uzumaki Naruto?"

Akana's eyes narrowed, and she did well to keep any traces of surprise or alarm from her face. "He's an Araiki, not an Uzumaki. Besides, he's not a jinchuuriki and he has a bloodline. Neither of which were true for Uzumaki Naruto."

"I never said I had it all figured out, but there are too many coincidences. He's the right age, he's got blonde hair, and blue eyes. Let's not forget that his jounin-sensei is the one who kidnapped Naruto. It's him."

Akana grimaced, there was obviously nothing that she'd be able to say to dissuade him from his idea. "You're not taking him. Diplomatic relations be damned I'll kill you before I let him go."

Asuma was briefly taken aback by the ferocity in her voice. "I'm not trying to kidnap him, don't want to put my team in any more danger. Right now I'm just worried about Izanagi."

"Keep it that way."

Naruto leapt aside, dodging Chouji's oversized hand as it smashed down onto the roof. He turned his leap into a handspring, avoiding Shikamaru's questing shadow. Chouji had abandoned his Nikutanku no Jutsu after he found that it made him an easy target for Meitoku. Unfortunately, the weapons specialist had misjudged the added toughness Chouji gained from his increased size. The boy had taken a nasty shock, but hadn't been knocked unconscious like Meitoku had intended. Now Chouji was occupying Naruto up close, with Shikamaru giving him support with his Kagemane no Jutsu. He was also using his throwing weapons in conjunction with Ino to deflect Meitoku's attacks.

Naruto had to admit, they were pretty good for gennin. It was time to step it up a notch. He grinned, feeling a familiar lightness in his legs as they became limned in chakra. "Shitai no To-Remu." He surged forward with a sudden burst of speed. Chouji swept an oversized arm at him, but didn't fully comprehend Naruto's new speed. Naruto waited until the last second before reacting, simply hopping over the arm and speeding forward. He sprinted the rest of the distance. Chouji dropped back, frantically trying to keep a bit of separation. As Naruto closed in, Chouji took a sidelong swipe at him. Naruto threw himself violently to one side, placing a hand on the ground to maintain his balance. He flipped up onto his hands, freeing his legs. Had he wanted to he could have used the claws on his feet to open Chouji's throat, but he had been told that casualties were to be specifically avoided so he opted to just knock him out of the fight for a while. His first foot smashed into the side of Chouji's head, dazing him. Naruto's second foot hit the throat, causing Chouji to clutch his throat and reel back.

Naruto's eyes flicked between his other two opponents as his feet touched the ground, and he rushed Ino. He knew that Shikamaru would grow progressively more dangerous the closer he got to him. The shorter the distance between the two the less time Naruto would have to react to Shikamaru's shadow. He'd deal with Ino first, and hopefully still have time to get to the shadow-user before Chouji got back in the fight.

"Naruto, it's a trap!" Naruto gave the area another glance as he heard Meitoku's warning, taking note of several details that had previously seemed innocuous. Due to Shikamaru's location, his shadow naturally merged with another shadow cast by a taller building off to the side. Ino was standing in that same patch of shadow. Furthermore, Shikamaru's back was turned and he had both hands held in front of him. Naruto had previously thought they held kunai to deflect Meitoku's own projectiles, but was now willing to bet that they were held in the final handsign for the Kagemane no Jutsu.

Naruto suddenly realized that even if he didn't know the exact method, Shikamaru had predicted Naruto's general plan of attack with perfect accuracy. He knew where Naruto was going to go as soon as the Kumo-nin did, and had set his trap accordingly. The blonde tried to swerve to the side, but it was too late. A tendril of shadow shot out from the larger patch and latched onto his own. He felt his body freeze as he heard the shadow-user's lazy drawl. "Kagemane no Jutsu success."

Ino turned to take advantage of the situation, but Meitoku was already in motion. He threw a pair of kunai, attached by wires. The improvised bolos whirled through the air, crackling with electricity and forcing her back. He followed up with a stream of senbon that kept her dodging, and moving steadily away from Naruto.

Shikamaru sighed, watching Plan A go up in smoke as Ino was driven steadily away from Naruto. Troublesome, but he still had Plan B. He lifted his foot to begin repositioning Naruto, or at least he tried to. No matter how hard he tried to pull his foot up Naruto didn't budge, and by extension neither did Shikamaru. "I-incredible," he gasped, "to resist my Kagemane this much with just brute strength."

"I'm not using brute strength, yet." It was true, he was just using his chakra to keep his feet stuck to the roof. It wasn't that different than tree walking. "But that does seem to be my best course of action." The chakra surrounding Naruto's limbs compressed and intensified as he activated his Chikara no To-Remu. He wasted no time testing his improved strength, pushing his foot outwards into a wider stance. Sweat beaded on Shikamaru's brow as he fought to keep Naruto still. But the blonde's strength was relentless, and Shikamaru felt his foot sliding along the ground. "As I suspected, your Kagemane links our movements together. Not only are your movements forced upon me, but mine are forced upon you as well. The jutsu just gives you an advantage in the resulting competition of strength."

Shikamaru gritted his teeth, he'd never had this happen before. He was being completely overpowered by his own jutsu. Still, he could slow Naruto down. He should be able to buy enough time for Chouji to get an attack in. Then he felt himself bending at the knees and felt a sudden flood of disbelief. Naruto couldn't have figured it out, could he?

Naruto jumped, bringing Shikamaru with him. It was only a short hop, taking both boys off the ground for just an instant. But in that instant, both boys lost contact with their shadow. In that instant, Shikamaru's shadow snapped back to its normal length. In that instant, the Kagemane no Jutsu was broken.

Freed from Shikamaru's restricting influence, Naruto was moving as soon as he hit the ground. He turned to face Chouji's enormous fist descending in a hammer fist strike, and caught it with one hand. He turned to calmly gaze at Chouji, who was red-faced with effort as he tried to pull his hand free. "I'd have thought," Naruto intoned calmly, "that you'd have known better than to try that on me." He would have said more, but he could already see Shikamaru's shadow extending out of the corner of his eye. So instead he spun, and used his momentum combined with leverage to throw Chouji again. Shikamaru's eyes had a fraction of a second to widen before he was knocked off the roof by his teammate's bulk.

Utilizing his Shitai no To-Remu, Naruto actually made it to the edge of the roof before either of his airborne opponents. As he looked down into the alley he could see Asuma and Akana locked together in combat, apparently their fight had taken them in the same direction of their students. Akana had her back turned to him, and didn't see the two airborne Konoha-nin. Asuma did, he performed an awkward disengage that had both combatants stumbling backwards and off-balance. Akana had a split second to wonder about his choice before she went down as Shikamaru and Chouji flew into her.

Naruto was already moving. He bore down on Asuma, switching to Mantoru no To-Remu as he descended into the alley. Asuma turned and met Naruto's advance with a slash of his trench knife. Naruto responded by pitching himself violently to the side, placing a hand flat on the ground for support. He could have completely avoided the slash, but that would have taken him out of position for his own counter. Instead he moved just far enough, knowing his Mantoru no To-Remu would be able to handle the rest of the attack.

He was wrong. His eyes widened as he felt the blade shred his protective mantle of chakra like tissue paper. Aborting his attack he threw himself backwards, nursing a gash on his arm. He flexed it experimentally, relieved to find that it still had its full range of movement. He returned his attention to Asuma as he felt his wound mend. "Wind chakra channeled along the blade to increase its length and sharpness, never actually seen somebody do that before. It appears my Mantoru no To-Remu won't be as much help as I had hoped." He let it fade as he spoke, bringing up Chikara no To-Remu instead.

"Interesting," commented Asuma as the two traded as series of experimental attacks. "I would have expected you to use your bloodline to increase your speed."

Naruto ducked another knife slash and threw a punch as he snarled his reply. "You know why I didn't." Naruto was correct, and Asuma's respect for the gennin went up a few notches. Just about any green opponent would have opted for the speed boost in an attempt to erase or even eclipse the gap between the two of them. But Asuma had been paying attention when he saw Naruto use it before. Shitai no To-Remu did provide an amazing increase in speed, but it only sped its user's limbs. While under its effect, 

the torso and head would be unable to keep up with the hands and feet. While it had its uses, Shitai no To-Remu was ill-suited for use in taijutsu between skilled combatants.

For a brief second, Asuma felt as if he was in a shougi game as he thought through various scenarios and tactics. Deciding upon his course of action he pressed forward with a series of vicious strokes. Naruto gritted his teeth in frustration. None of Asuma's recent attacks were particularly difficult to dodge. Nonetheless, they were well set up and limited Naruto's options. He was being herded, and there wasn't much he could do about it.

Then Asuma saw his chance. Both of his blades rolled to the outside, then snapped towards Naruto's neck from either side. His knives had already proved capable of cutting through the boy's defenses, and the wall at his back left Naruto with no place to run. Put a blade on either side of the boy's neck, Asuma reasoned, and you could force a surrender.

But Naruto wasn't done yet, he threw both sets of claws out to intercept the trench knives. And, much to Asuma's surprise, stopped them. "I thought you said you'd never seen that done before."

"I lied." Naruto injected plenty of bravado into that statement, but felt none of it. He was proficient with his wind manipulation, but not as good as Asuma. He could see the wind surrounding Asuma's trench knives gradually slicing through the wind he had around his claws, and he really didn't want to see if his healing factor could regrow fingers.

Instead he dropped straight down, feeling the wind of the blades passing ruffle his hair as they passed harmlessly over his head. He planted a hand on the ground for support and kicked straight up, wreathing his foot in water chakra. Asuma's eyes widened as he snapped his head back, avoiding the kick by millimeters. He winced as his right cheek erupted into a bruise anyway.

Asuma leapt back, giving himself a bit of space. He noted that Naruto carefully avoided bringing his foot close to any part of his body until the water chakra had died out. He settled back into a basic guard stance with his knives. His mind was racing, channeling pure elemental chakra into a weapon was practically impossible unless certain alloys were used. Asuma himself used trench knives made of a chakra-conductive alloy. To channel elemental chakra along bare hands and feet like that was impressive to say the least. He vowed to take the young blonde even more seriously.

Yugito, meanwhile, was moving patiently through near impenetrable darkness. She had followed Izanagi into a warehouse. With the lights off, the only illumination came from small slit-like windows situated high on the walls. They provided a little less illumination than one would expect on a starry night. There were only two means of entry and exit. One was the door that lead to the roof, which they had used to enter the building. Its edges still glowed a dull red from where Yugito had used her fiery claws to weld it shut. The other was a large bay door made of sheet metal. There was no way it could be opened without catching Yugito's attention, which was why they found themselves in their current situation. Unwilling to let Yugito catch him off guard while opening the large door, Izanagi had 

disappeared into the depths of the warehouse. He was trying to find some way to disable her so he'd get a free shot outside, she was still trying to capture him.

Yugito was actually enjoying herself. Leaping across piles of crates with her bloodline active, she realized that she felt like a hunting cat stalking its prey. She found the experience to be quite invigorating. She was currently crouched on top of a large pile of crates. Her Ishiki no To-Remu was activated in order to help her see through the gloom. Even so, her shadowy target was difficult to make out. She managed though, and shadowed her target as he moved closer to the large bay door.

Suddenly there was a screech of protesting metal. A circular section of the door fell away, and Naruto tumbled in after it. Izanagi was caught by surprise as Naruto caught him under the knees, upending him. The blonde kept his wits about him, ripping a pouch off Izanagi's belt that spilled scrolls all over the floor. Naruto tumbled across the floor, snatching a scroll edged in gold and silver as he went. He scrambled to his feet as Yugito landed beside him. Naruto glanced over at her as Asuma leapt through the hole he had made in the door. "Got the scroll Yugito-chan, let's get out of here."

"Oh, you need that scroll?" Asuma walked over to a crimson scroll, slid his foot under it, and flipped it into his hand. "We were sent for this one."

"Wait," said Naruto, "you mean to tell me that this entire fight was all for nothing?"

Asuma lit a cigarette before replying. "I guess so."

"I hate this mission."

The two teams met up outside of the warehouse. Izanagi had left soon after the recovery of the scrolls, no longer seeing any reason to stick around. The shinobi had sustained a few minor injuries. Akana had been a bit daze after taking a hard hit to the head during her fall, but recovered soon enough. Shikamaru had twisted his knee and was leaning against Asuma for support. Chouji held an unconscious Ino. She had been brought in by Meitoku, wrapped in ninja wire. "Well," Asuma said as he looked over his battered team, "there's no permanent harm done. So no hard feelings I guess." He looked over at Naruto. "Tell me, does the name Uzumaki mean anything to you?"

The name struck a chord with Naruto, who only allowed a brief flash of uncertainty cross his face. "Why would it."

Asuma hid a grin of satisfaction at Naruto's phrasing. It was a question as much as it was a statement. "Just wondering. Well, we should get going then. I have a feeling we'll meet again." The Konoha team leapt to the rooftops, and was soon lost to sight.

Akana sighed as they disappeared. "Well, I'm glad that this is over. Let's get back to the hotel. I don't know about you three but I'm exhausted."

Izanagi was whistling to himself as he walked along the path leading out of the city. He hadn't expected Konoha's Team Ten to catch him there. But other than that he was pleased with how things had turned out. He'd never held any interest in the scroll, it was merely bait to draw out the Araikis and give him an idea of their capabilities. There was a brief rustling in the bushes, and a hunched over figure suddenly appeared next to Izanagi. "Akasuna no Sasori, so you decided to track me down after all."

The figure, now identified as Sasori, spoke in a raspy voice. "You're late."

"I wasn't trying to keep you waiting."

Sasori clearly didn't believe the claim, but decided to ignore it for now. "You faced them?"

"Of course." Izanagi continued to walk forward, not even looking at Sasori.

"I'm waiting." He was tempted to mention how much he hated waiting, but decided to avoid antagonizing the informant.

"For what?"

Sasori shot him a dark look. "You said you'd steal that scroll in order to draw them out. And that you'd tell me what you learned."

"No, I said I'd draw them out so I could learn about them. I never said I'd share any of the information with you."

"You implied it." Anger was evident in the puppet-master's tone.

"It's not my fault if you read too deeply into my words. Now if you don't mind, I have better things to do than trade words with you."

A heavy metal tail shot out from under Sasori's robes, its needle-like tip stopping a hairsbreadth from Izanagi's throat. "You forget who you're dealing with."

Izanagi was forced to pull up short to avoid impaling himself on the tail's needle-like point. He shot Sasori a look of contempt, and his voice turned ugly. "No I've remembered exactly who I'm dealing with. Can you say the same? I may not stand a chance against you in combat, but don't think I haven't made arrangements in the event of my death. You kill me here and the leader of every ninja village worthy of the name will learn about Akatsuki. You're members may be powerful, but can you take on the whole world?"

Sasori's response was both a concession and a warning. "Not yet."

"Then leave me the hell alone." Sasori came to a halt as Izanagi continued forward, disappearing around a bend in the path. He didn't even glance to the side as a figure rose from the ground. The new arrival was wearing a black cloak embroidered with red clouds, a match to Sasori's. A pair of what seemed to be leaves rose from his shoulders, partially obscuring his black and white face.

Only after the figure fully rose from the ground did Sasori turn to face him. "Zetsu," the name was spoken as a greeting, "I was not expecting Izanagi to be so difficult."

Zetsu replied in an odd dual-toned voice. "His unwillingness to cooperate was not unanticipated by Pein-sama. I will get information on them personally."

"Why does Pein care so much about these two, they're not even jinchuuriki."

"He believes that their bloodline may be capable of controlling bijuu, much like Mokuton or the Sharingan. Even if that's not the case he thinks that they may be able to act as a conduit for returning the Kyuubi and Nibi to this world. Rumor has it that they once housed the two."

"Rumors you uncovered I presume." Zetsu didn't respond, but Sasori hadn't expected him to. Akatsuki's spy melted back into the ground while Sasori moved off to meet up with is partner He was mildly impressed, Pein hadn't taken a personal interest in recruitment since he sought Deidara to replace Orochimaru. The Araikis were impressive alright. But too much so, it seemed, for their own good.

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Ishiki no To-Remu: Translates to Senses of the Totem. User's eyes change to resemble that of their totem. Chakra will also outline the user's ears. This stage of To-Remu Yajuuki greatly enhances all five senses of its user.**

**Shitai no To-Remu: Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Chikara no To-Remu: Translates to Might of the Totem. This technique greatly increases the strength of its user.**

**Kagemane no Jutsu: Translates to Shadow Possession Jutsu**

**Nikutanku no Jutsu: Translates to Meat Tank Jutsu**

**Author's Note****: Hey all, hope you're enjoying the story so far. I'm writing this to inform you that the next update may take a little longer than usual. I'm moving back down to college soon so I'll be busy getting ready and won't have as much time to write. Hope you don't mind too much.**


	6. Chapter 5: A Legacy Found

**Author's Note:**** Hey everybody, I'm back. It's been a while since the last update but, like I said, I had to move back down to college so I had other things to worry about. I'm not expecting the gaps between future updates to be this long unless there are similarly extenuating circumstances, like finals. Well, with that said I hope you enjoy the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

**Konohagakure**

The Sandaime Hokage was sitting behind his desk as he listened to his son give a report on his team's latest mission. Quite frankly, he couldn't figure out why Asuma had insisted on giving this report in person. Sure, they had encountered and fought a foreign gennin team. But such things were not unheard of and there had been no significant injuries as a result. There was something that Asuma wasn't telling him yet, which meant he didn't want to say it in front of his gennin.

He leaned forward in his chair and waited for the report to be finished, then dismissed the gennin. Once they left he fixed his attention on his son. "So tell me, what's so important that you needed to give this report to me in person?"

"Sharp as ever Pops." Asuma chuckled slightly, but his expression turned serious soon enough. "One of the gennin we encountered went by the name of Araiki Naruto. But that wasn't his given name. The kid was born as Uzumaki Naruto."

That got Sarutobi's attention. "You're sure?"

"Yeah. He's the right age, blonde hair, blue eyes, and his jounin-sensei was Naruto's kidnapper. It's him, I know it. There are a few things I don't have figured out yet though." He paused a second before continuing, "Naruto no longer holds the Kyuubi, there was no trace of demonic aura throughout the entire fight. He also had a kekkai genkai called To-Remu Yajuuki."

The Sandaime leaned back in his chair, puffing on his pipe and thinking for a long moment. Asuma fidgeted a bit, then lit a cigarette. Smoke mingled in the air and the Sandaime broke the silence. "Tell me Asuma, do you know how kekkai genkai are formed?"

"Not a clue. But I have a feeling that you're about to tell me."

"Not many people know about this, but bijuu have an obscure and complex honor system. Even I know very little about it, but I do know this. Bijuu hold themselves responsible for the misery their jinchuuriki experience. The honor code I mentioned compels them to compensate the jinchuuriki for that misery. Most of the time, the bijuu decides to bestow a kekkai genkai."

"How come I've never heard of this before? And if it's true, why aren't jinchuuriki viewed as a blessing instead of a curse. This village loves bloodlines so much that they all but kiss the ground where Uchiha Sasuke walks."

"The process of creating a bloodline, even for something as powerful as a bijuu, is a rather slow process. It involves altering the host's very DNA, no small feat. Once the DNA is altered it can take a long time for the bloodline to manifest. Tsunade told me it had something to do about cell replication. Whatever the reason, it is rare for the jinchuuriki himself to ever manifest the bloodline. The first person to use it would usually be his or her child. However, since jinchuuriki are so hated many of them don't have children and their kekkai genkai dies out before the world even knows of it. If they do have children, well, the bloodline is usually assumed to have been developed by the child or passed down by the other parent. People are foolish enough to fabricate their own reality if they so choose."

"But from what you told me Naruto probably wouldn't have exhibited his bloodline for years. He's using it now, and so is that girl with him. Yugito, I think her name was."

"That is curious. You mentioned that their bloodline was created by a sealing incident, and that Naruto no longer held the kyuubi. A little over ten years ago Jiraiya was gathering information on a young jinchuuriki in Kumogakure, but the jinchuuriki seemed to vanish. It was soon thereafter that we began to hear whispers of a new bloodline in Kumogakure. They may have used some sort of Fuinjutsu ceremony to tap further into the bijuus' powers and form the bloodline more quickly."

"Is that even possible?"

"I don't know. Fuinjutsu has never been my greatest strength, and such a ritual would be extremely complex. I would not even dare to attempt such a thing. I'll have to speak with Jiraiya about it next time he comes to the village. But the important thing is that the son of Namikaze Minato has managed to purge himself of the Kyuubi and develop a Kekkai Genkai." Asuma's cigarette fell to the floor as he stared in open-mouthed shock. The Sandaime allowed himself a small grin as he swiveled his chair around to peer through the window that overlooked Konoha. "I wonder how the village will react to the news."

**Rai no Kuni**

Naruto was hunched over a bowl of cereal, trying to clear the fog of sleep from his head. He wasn't having much success. That only caused him to become even more annoyed as Akana seemed to literally bounce across the room with a cheerful smile on her face. "Someone seems to be having a good day."

"Of course, I'm finished dealing with Izanagi. That never fails to cheer me up."

"You'll probably have to deal with him again sometime."

"But not now."

"If you say so, I just can't wait to get back to Kumogakure."

"We're not going back to Kumo, at least not right away."

"What, why not? We've completed our mission."

"We're personally delivering the scroll to the Daimyo. Messenger hawk came in this morning with the request."

"How long is it going to take us to make it to the capital from here?"

"About a day and a half, then two to make it back to Kumo. We'll leave at noon." Naruto sighed and went back to his breakfast.

The trip to the capital was uneventful. None of the bandits that inhabited Rai no Kuni were stupid enough to attack a team of shinobi so they made it to their destination without trouble. The team gained the summit of a small hill, earning their first view of the city. It took the gennin's breath away. All three of them had spent most of their lives in Kumogakure. While it was a wealthy and prosperous village, it was also designed for militaristic purposes. To that end, there was very little in the way of fancy architecture and the like. The city was designed to be practical, meant to give every advantage to its own shinobi while hindering any invaders that managed to breach the walls. Sure, there were a few exceptions to this rule, clan estates tended to be a bit more extravagant, but as a whole Kumogakure was not designed with ascetics as a priority.

The capital city of Rai no Kuni was different. It was also a city of great wealth. But unlike Kumogakure they weren't afraid to flaunt it. Towers thrust their way into the sky, covered with intricate carvings. Statues dotted the landscape, memorials of the nation's past heroes both civilian and shinobi alike. Even from a distance it was an awe-inspiring sight. One unlike any of the gennin had previously seen.

Akana gave a bemused glance in the direction of her gennin team, all of whom were staring in awe at the vista before them. "Impressive sight isn't it?" She continued on before they had a chance to respond. "Well, come on. I'm sure the daimyo would like that scroll back soon." She walked down the slope towards the city, her gennin falling in line behind her. They joined the throng of people moving through the gates and entered easily enough. Then they proceeded to walk through the streets at a civilian pace, much to the displeasure of Naruto and Yugito.

It took them about half an hour to get close to the Daimyo's stronghold. It was an impressive edifice, constructed entirely of gold and white marble. Glistening towers rose into the air, the gold along their sides creating the illusions of lightning bolts reaching towards the ground. Towards the center of the compound was an enormous building where the Daimyo resided. It was the seat of power in Rai no Kuni, politically at least.

They were stopped at the gate encircling the compound as a pair of guards crossed their halberds across the entry. "Please state your names and the reason for your visit."

"I am Yoruka Akana. This is my gennin team; composed of Gifu Meitoku, Araiki Yugito, and Araiki Naruto. We have come at the Daimyo's request to return a scroll stolen by Kazuhiko Izanagi."

"You've been expected. The Daimyo has requested that you report to the secondary waiting room for his Audience Chamber." The two guards stepped smartly to the side and thumped the butt of their pikes into the ground in unison. It would have been missed by a casual observer, but the trained eyes of the shinobi caught the slight depression as pressure plates were forced downwards. A triggering device, they realized, as the gates slid aside.

Akana took the lead, guiding her team through the compound's chaotic interior and arriving quickly at their destination. It was a small room, at least by the standards of the palace. The walls were covered in mosaics depicting prominent shinobi from Rai no Kuni's history. There were even a few predating Kumogakure, they drew the gennins' attention the most as they had heard relatively little about them in the ninja academy.

They were interrupted from their examinations by the sound of soft footfalls approaching from behind them. They spun around to see the Lightning Daimyo. He was a short man, not quite five and a half feet tall. He was rail thin as well. But what he lacked in physical size he made up for in sheer presence. The man wore power around him like a cloak, impressing even the shinobi of Kumogakure who spent so much of their time around some of the deadliest individuals in the elemental nations.

Team Four fell to one knee and murmured respectfully, "Daimyo-sama."

He chuckled, a rich sound that rolled through the chamber. "There's no need for that." His voice was full and melodic, at odds with his thin build. "Rarely do I have the opportunity to meet with such distinguished shinobi aside from the Raikage himself. One of Kumogakure's most feared jounin, along with the two young bearers of To-Remu Yajuuki. Certainly this is a pleasant opportunity. Not to mention that you four have done me a great service."

"Ah, of course." Akana reached behind her as she spoke, unsnapping a pouch belted at the small of her back. She withdrew the scroll and offered it to the Daimyo. "I should have remembered to offer it sooner Daimyo-sama."

"Nonsense, I only just arrived. There's no need for the honorific either, call me Daichi."

"As you wish Daichi-san."

Daichi stepped forward and took the scroll from Akana. "I trust the four of you could stay for a bit? I would be delighted if you could attend a banquet I'm holding tonight."

"Of course."

"Wonderful," he stepped back and rapped sharply on the doorframe. A moment later it slid open, revealing a servant who had apparently been standing in wait. "Please escort these shinobi to the rooms I had prepared for them."

The servant bowed, "Of course Daimyo-sama." He then turned to face team four, "If you would follow me please." The servant led them out of the reception area and into the palace proper. Eventually, he 

reached an elaborate building and slid the door open for them. "The rooms the daimyo had prepared are at the end of the hall. There is one for each of you." He straightened from his bow and left, leaving the shinobi to their own devices.

After entering his room; Naruto was delighted to find that it contained a small, private onsen. He wasted no time in stripping out of his clothes and diving in, luxuriating in the feel of the warm water on his tired muscles. He had been immersed for about ten minutes when he felt a brief surge of chakra along with a disturbance in the water. He nearly leapt out of the onsen in surprise when he saw Yugito sitting at the other side. "What are you doing in here?"

"Sitting in the onsen of course."

"Why aren't you using yours?"

"There's no one to talk to in there."

He sighed in resignation. "You realize I wasn't expecting you in here right? I'm not wearing anything."

She grinned wickedly and pointedly adjusted one of the straps of her swimsuit. "You should have planned ahead then." Naruto sighed and sunk lower into the water. No one could say that dating Yugito got boring. "So, what do you think about the Daimyo."

"He seems nice enough. But I have to wonder how much of it's genuine and how much is driven by politics."

"What do you mean?"

"He's in charge of all of Rai no Kuni, with the exception of Kumogakure. More than anyplace else in this country, he needs to use diplomacy to remain on good terms with the village. He was right when he said Kaa-san is one of the strongest ninja our village has, her name may even be up for Raikage one day. Then you have to look at us. We're the wielders of To-Remu Yajuuki, and will almost certainly form a clan and gain a seat on the council. That we'll hold a great deal of influence in Kumogakure is almost a foregone conclusion. The Daimyo will certainly want to ensure that he's on our good side."

"Are you sure you're just not reading too deeply into things."

"Do I have a choice? We are ninja after all."

She slid around the edge of the onsen. Stopping next to Naruto and resting her head on his shoulder. "True enough."

Naruto turned his head to gaze down at her. She had freed her hair from its usual pony tail for her dip in the onsen. Now it cascaded around her face, softening her features. He always enjoyed seeing her hair like this, rare opportunity that it was. He brushed aside a few of the bangs that were hanging in front of her eyes. "Do I ever tell you how beautiful you look with your hair down?"

She snuggled in closer to him, a grin on her face. "Not as much as I'd like."

Naruto chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her. "There's no pleasing you is there?"

"Of course there is, you just have to work for it."

He tightened his arm, pulling her close. "For you Yugito-chan, I don't mind one bit." She squirmed a bit, getting comfortable. Then the couple just relaxed and enjoyed the other's presence.

It was quite a while later that Yugito reluctantly wriggled her way free of Naruto's grip. "The onsen's been nice, but I need to get ready for our banquet tonight." She brought her hands up and disappeared with a quick shunshin. After taking a moment to make sure she was gone Naruto heaved himself out of the onsen as well. He had been close to Yugito for years, even before they started dating. But seeing each other naked, that was a line neither of them were ready to cross quite yet. Which was why he had been so surprised that she popped into the onsen to join him. He made a mental note to put a bathing suit on before he jumped into the next supposedly private onsen.

He walked over to his pack and flipped it open. He hadn't brought any formal clothing with him, so his standard ninja attire would have to do. Though he could at least change into a fresh set. He dressed quickly, and slid open the door of his room whilst tightening the knot for his hitaite. Meitoku was already outside waiting for him, but neither of the kunoichi were present. "I suppose you can always trust women to make you wait."

"Indeed." Naruto grinned ruefully as he leaned back against the wall. He never could seem to manage to get Meitoku to say any more than what the boy considered necessary or polite. Ah well, his teammate had his heart in the right place at least. He may seem emotionless to the casual onlooker, but that was hardly the case. He was fiercely loyal to his friends and comrades, and Naruto knew he counted his teammates as both.

His musings were interrupted by the sound of another door sliding open. He turned to see Akana emerge from her room. Yugito emerged shortly thereafter and the team exited the compound they were being housed at. A servant met them outside and motioned for them to follow him. They were lead quickly through the compound and into the central building. A few quick turns through the corridors of the place and they entered the dining hall.

The room was enormous, bigger than some of the smaller houses Naruto had seen. It wasn't until Akana prodded him lightly in the back that Naruto realized he had stopped dead in his tracks. He quickly moved forward, catching up to their guide again. They were lead up to the main table and seated at the side of the Daimyo himself. Naruto grinned ruefully; that was definitely motivated by politics, and he'd likely spend a long dinner's worth of discussions on the subject. Ahh well, at least the food looked good.

**Konohagakure**

Konoha was in an uproar. Word has spread through the streets like wildfire and while the story had been convoluted, everybody seemed to know one thing. The kyuubi jinchuuriki had been Namikaze Minato's son, and he was a jinchuuriki no more. The boy had finished what his father had started and vanquished the demon fox, gaining a kekkai genkai in the process. That was news that filled the village 

with joy. The news that the boy had been kidnapped by and raised in Kumogakure was decidedly less welcome.

The village had immediately begun clamoring for the boy's return, although the reasons varied. There were many who assumed that the boy had to be a powerful shinobi if he had managed to vanquish the kyuubi. Who wouldn't want an asset like that? The majority of the village were excited because they heard that he had a bloodline. Many of Konoha's citizens practically worshipped kekkai genkai and would seize any chance to add a new one to the village. Their desire was only increased by the loss they still felt from the Uchiha massacre a few years back. Finally, there were the villagers who wanted the boy back because of his parentage. The Yondaime was Konoha's greatest hero, and many of the villagers viewed his son as more a symbol than anything else.

Whatever their reason, essentially all of Konohagakure desired Naruto's return. Some of the less intelligent citizens wanted to start a war over the boy. There were also many who favored the idea of kidnapping him, the same as Kumo had done ten years ago. Sarutobi knew better than to try either of those methods. The boy had been raised in Kumogakure, and likely didn't even remember Konoha. Naruto's knowledge of his home village was probably limited to what he had been told by the people of Kumogakure, and Sarutobi didn't doubt for a second that the Konoha's mistreatment of the boy had been brought up.

Force wouldn't do, Naruto would have to be persuaded to return to Konoha. The upcoming Chuunin Exams would be a good opportunity to speak to him. He'd have to be sure to request Naruto's participation. Even with the exams, convincing Naruto to return to his homeland would be difficult. Although Kumogakure's reaction to the news that Naruto was the Yondaime's son might help. The Yondaime wasn't well-liked in Kumogakure due to his actions in the Third Great Shinobi War, so there was no telling how that village would react to the news. It would become clear soon enough, Sarutobi supposed, a caravan had left to Kumogakure from a nearby trading village two days after the news broke. No doubt they would carry the news of Naruto's parentage to Kumo, the only question was how the village would react.

**Rai no Kuni**

Naruto was getting bored. As he had expected from the beginning, the focus of the dinner was political talk. It was not a subject he enjoyed. He wasn't looking forward to the day when he'd have to deal with such subjects in Kumogakure. He leaned back, deciding to see if he could sense of the presence of the Daimyo's guards. He started picking up chakra signatures and frowned. "Daichi-san, how many of you Twelve Shinobi of Lightning do you have posted nearby as guards?"

"Four. There are another four patrolling the edges of the compound and four are off duty."

"Do you have any other shinobi visiting you here?"

"No, why do you ask?."

"You need to get out of here."

All traces of mirth disappeared from the Daimyo's face as he turned to face Naruto, "Is there something wrong Naruto-san?"

"I sense thirteen chakra signatures strong enough to belong to trained shinobi nearby. Three are from the rest of my team, and the guards you have nearby accounts for four more of them. That leaves six chakra signatures we can't explain. I don't think they're here to pay a friendly visit."

"Surely my guards would have noticed such a threat."

"Not necessarily. Our chakra-sensing skills surpass just about anybody's. It's one of the side effects, so to speak, of our bloodline."

Akana leaned forward in her seat. "He's correct Daichi-san. All shinobi unconsciously emit chakra, a diffusion effect of sorts. The chakra they release into the air is an interference whenever they try to sense other chakra signatures. Naruto and Yugito emit much smaller amounts of chakra, if they concentrate they can suppress it down to practically nothing. If they say that there are six unexplained chakra signatures nearby I believe them."

"Very well," he climbed to his feet and turned to address the dining hall. "Dinner with you all has been delightful this evening. Unfortunately, urgent business dictates that I must be elsewhere at this time. Please feel free to enjoy yourselves and remain until you are finished eating." He began walking away from the table, Team Four falling in step behind him just in case. It wasn't long before a pair of shinobi landed in front of them. They were both dressed as Kumo jounin, and Naruto noted the swath of cloth on their belts that denoted their position as one of the Twelve Shinobi of Lightning.

"Daichi-san, we were unaware that you had any appointments tonight."

"I did not, but young Naruto-san has sensed some mysterious chakra signatures nearby. I thought it would be wise to err on the size of caution."

Seeing the doubt written on the guards' faces Akana decided to cut in. "To-Remu Yajuuki increases their ability to sense chakra. Their skills in that regard exceed my own."

"Very well, we shall escort you to the bunker where we will be better able to protect the Daimyo from threats. Our two nearby comrades will go to alert the rest of the guards." He spun on his heel and marched off. The other guard fell back a bit, bringing up the rear of the group. Naruto found himself walking to one side of the daimyo, alongside of Meitoku while Akana and Yugito held down the other side. He quickly activated Ishiki no To-Remu, allowing his enhanced senses to scan the area.

They held their distance for a while, waiting until they had made their way outside. Then the gap began to close. Naruto and Yugito exchanged quick glances. "They're coming."

The lead guard turned around, a grimace on their face. "Smart of them I suppose, attacking before the rest of the guards can get here. You four ready for a fight?"

Naruto flashed a feral grin, one that sent shivers down the spines of even the hardened guards. "A good shinobi always is."

The guard drew a kunai, "Damn kid, I'm glad you're on my side."

Mantoru no To-Remu sprang to life around Naruto, "And you haven't even seen anything yet." He jumped, intercepting a pair of shuriken that whizzed through the air. A quick spin had the shuriken glancing harmlessly off of his protective mantle of chakra. Naruto landed lightly on his feet. A fraction of a second later six cloaked and hooded shinobi also landed, surrounding the Daimyo and his guards.

Akana shifted forward a half step. "It's six on six right now. I'd like to keep a defensive perimeter around the Daimyo, but that would leave at least one of us outnumbered. We're going to have to take them one on one. Try to end things quickly, but don't get careless. You can't let your opponent get past you."

None of the shinobi around her so much as blinked at her proclamation, they had all reached the same conclusion. For a long moment, nobody moved. Then Meitoku shifted slightly, sliding a foot forward and loosening his kodachi in their sheathes. It was as if it were an unspoken signal, all six of the shinobi blurred from sight as they sped towards each other.

Naruto's opponent opened with a brutal punch the face. It was blocked easily enough, but the man twisted his hand around to get a grip on Naruto's forearm. He gave a short spin and attempted to toss Naruto away, a mistake on his part. Naruto countered by simply digging his claws into the assassin's arm. The increased drag stole the momentum from the throw, and he landed upright a few feet from his opponent. Then there was the added benefit of slicing the assassin's arm open to the bone in five separate places. "You're too careless, trying to grapple with me like that. Didn't you even notice that I had claws?"

The assassin grimaced, the kid was better than he had thought. Thankfully, he still had a few tricks of his own left to play. He charged once more. Naruto surged forward to meet him. At the last second the assassin skipped to one side, then swept his foot out in a circular motion. A weight shot out from the man's ankle. It abruptly arced into a curve, its flight arrested by the ninja wire attached to it. Naruto didn't have time to react. The wire caught him around the ankles, entangling him and dropping him to the ground. The assassin grinned as he released the chakra he used to keep the other end of the wire fastened to his ankle. Then he sprinted towards the Daimyo, drawing a kunai as he went.

Naruto knew that he assassin had a clear shot at the daimyo, everyone else was occupied. The kunai would need to be stopped cold too. He didn't have enough time to set up a parry, and if he tackled the man from behind it would only drive him towards the Daimyo. Naruto had no doubt that it was all the opportunity the assassin would need to kill his target. He only had one option. Even as he fell, Mantoru no To-Remu faded as Shitai no To-Remu rose to take its place. His claws severed the ninja wire before he even hit the ground and he regained his feet in a fraction of a second. He had no choice, as he rushed past the assassin on all fours. No choice as he rose to his feet in front of the man. No choice but to grit his teeth against the pain of the kunai that was now stabbing through his lung

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Shitai no To-Remu: Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Ishiki no To-Remu: Translates to Senses of the Totem. User's eyes change to resemble that of their totem. Chakra will also outline the user's ears. This stage of To-Remu Yajuuki greatly enhances all five senses of its user.**


	7. Chapter 6: A Heritage Revealed

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Naruto knew that the assassin had a clear shot at the daimyo, everyone else was occupied. He only had one option. Mantoru no To-Remu faded as Shitai no To-Remu rose to take its place. He had no choice, as he rushed past the assassin. No choice as he rose in front of him. No choice but to grit his teeth against the pain of the kunai meant for the daimyo that was now stabbing through his lung.

The assassin pulled his knife free with a sharp jerk, splattering Naruto with his own blood. He fell to his knees, gasping vainly for breath through his collapsed lung. The assassin grinned and brought his knife down for the killing strike, only to be stopped by a swirling wall of wind. He strained against it, but had the kunai torn out of his hands. The wind rushed towards him, sweeping him off his feet and suspending him in a whirling cyclone.

He closed his eyes and laughed. "Nice try Akana, but your use of genjutsu is well-known." A chakra pulse swept across the battleground, and the assassin found himself standing on the ground again. Naruto, however, was lying at the feet of his mother fifteen feet away. "You're not about to catch me in a mind trick."

"I already have, and not the one you broke. After all, the first step to making an effective trap is to lure make your victim feel safe." She smirked, "I can feel it. You're fluxuating your chakra, trying to see if you're still in a genjutsu. But I wouldn't be alerting you to it if you had a chance of escaping. Sure, you may be able to break it if I gave you a few more seconds. But your time is up."

The assassin gave a small jump of surprise as he noticed his fingers start to twitch. Looking around he noticed that the same thing was happening to all of his comrades. "You're finished." The six assassins suddenly collapsed to the ground, finding themselves in full-blown seizures. The only reason they weren't screaming was because their throat and jaw muscles were clenched tight. "Now die." The assassins gave one last jerk before falling still. The remaining Shinobi of Lightning landed just in time to see the smoke begin to drift out of the assassins' ears.

Gifu stared with ill-concealed awe. "Was that…"

"I think so," muttered Yugito, "Ninpou: Seichi Kanran no Raihenkon."

One of the Daimyo's guards turned to look at them. "What?"

"Ninpou: Seichi Kanran no Raihenkon," Akana interjected, "my strongest genjutsu. Most people think that genjutsu is a ninja art that affects the sensory perception of the victim. They are mistaken. That definition classifies genjutsu via its end instead of its mean. Genjutsu is better defined as a technique in which the user controls the chakra in his or her target's mind. It is usually used to create false sensory perceptions, but I've figured out how to do more than that. The amount of time it takes for me to pull off the technique varies. These opponents were a bit sub par, so it didn't take me long."

"Didn't take long to do what?"

"To elementally recompose the chakra in their brain."

"That's impossible!"

She turned to fix the guard with an incredulous stare. "Impossible, it just happened right in front of you. I recomposed the chakra in their brain into Lightning Chakra. It started by affecting their nervous system. Gradually at first, a slight twitching of the extremities. But it expanded quickly enough, causing seizures. Then it fried their brains to a crisp, hence the smoke. It's the technique that made me a legend. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get some medical attention for my son." She knelt down and gently scooped Naruto into her arms. "I've already been there, so you won't need to show me the way." She disappeared with a crackle of electricity, taking Naruto with her.

The Twelve Shinobi of Lightning glanced amongst each other. "Well then, I guess we should get back to our posts."

"Oh hell no!" The closest guard found himself pulled down until he was at eye level with Yugito. "My boyfriend's in the hospital, and unlike Akana-sensei I don't know where it is. You're going to take me there now."

The Shinobi of Lightning Yugito had a hold of was a powerful ninja. He had been in life and death battles with more opponents than he cared to remember, some of them more powerful than Yugito was. But he got the feeling that he'd rather face down all of his past foes at once than experience the wrath of the kunoichi in front of him should he deny her demand. The Daimyo's guard gulped, "Yes Ma'am."

The first thing Naruto noticed when he awoke was a throbbing, stabbing pain in the side of his chest. In some corner of his mind he dimly recalled getting stabbed there, so he supposed that the pain made sense. As his awareness began to return to him he also noticed a tightness around his chest that seemed to indicate he was bandaged. He shifted slightly, causing his wound to throb sharply, which in turn caused a slight groan of pain.

He heard a rustling of cloth as someone rushed over to his side. It was soon followed by a crushing hug that carefully avoided pressuring the wound on his chest. He cracked open his eyes in curiosity. It was impossible to make out the facial features of the person above him due to the silhouette against the ceiling lights, but the blonde ponytail hanging down gave him a pretty good clue. "Yugito-chan?"

"Yeah," her grip on him tightened a bit. "How are you feeling? I was…worried."

"I'm in a bit of pain, but overall I'm fine. It was just a stab to the lung."

"Just a stab to the lung?" Her tone was incredulous. "Just a stab to the lung! You idiot, that could've killed most people."

"We're not most people Yugito-chan; we still have a healing factor left over from when we were jinchuuriki. The Daimyo doesn't."

Her gaze softened, "I know, I understand why you did it. But that doesn't make it any less nerve-wracking."

"Heh, sorry Yugito-chan."

"Of course you are." She grinned, and leaned in for a kiss.

"Aww, what a cute moment." Akana had to admit that she was impressed by the results of her entrance. She'd never seen somebody jump as high into the air from a prone position as Yugito just did.

After landing, Yugito spun around, blushing furiously. "Akana, don't sneak up on us like that!"

"But then I'd miss out on all the fun. My life would be so dull."

"Is there a reason you came here Kaa-san, or did you just feel like annoying me?"

Akana's grin softened. "Of course there's a reason. You had me worried too. That and I came to give you the doctor's report."

"So how long until they release me? One day, two?"

"A week."

"What! A week!? My healing factor would have me up and moving by then without medical help. What possible reason could they have for keeping me here for a week?"

"The medic-nin here have never encountered anyone with a healing factor like yours before. They want to keep you under observation just in case."

"You've got to be kidding me. I'll be fine by tomorrow, I'm certain of it."

"You know how well you heal, I'll give you that. But you haven't had the years of medical training that those medic-nin have. I'm trusting their judgment on this. So if they say you have to stay under observation for a week you're staying here for a week." Naruto opened his mouth to argue but Akana cut him off. "I'm not going to argue with you about this Naruto. I'm telling you as both your mother and your jounin-sensei; you're staying here for a week."

Naruto groaned and flopped backwards into the bed. He recognized when there was no arguing with her. "Yes Kaa-san."

"It's nice to see that you're not being stubborn for a change. Well I have some business to attend to after yesterday's mess. So I'll leave you two to continue enjoying each other's company." There was a crackle of electricity as Akana vanished, leaving the young Araikis alone once more.

Yugito looked down at Naruto as though the entire thing had been his fault. "You know, I really hate it when she does that."

"Well what do you expect me to do about it?"

"Think of something," she said as she climbed back onto the bed.

"As demanding as ever I see."

"What was that?"

"Nothing Yugito-chan."

She gave a contented sigh as she snuggled into him, then mumbled something that he was just barely able to make out. "I thought so."

Naruto soon got sick of his bed rest. His team visited him often enough, particularly Yugito, but remaining still for such an extended period of time was difficult for someone who was as energetic as he was. He was awake early on the seventh day, already dressed and stretching his muscles. He'd only been going a few minutes when the door cracked open and Yugito walked in. "Figured you'd be up early today. You never were much for lying around."

Naruto grunted a bit as he twisted his shoulders, stretching his back. "Yeah, I still think that rest was unnecessary. I'm just glad that they're letting me get out of bed now."

"Akana-sensei says we're leaving at ten in the morning. So you have a bit of time to stretch your legs and get some breakfast."

"It's going to be nice to finally get back to Kumo isn't it?"

A wistful smile crept onto her face as she remembered the wild beauty of the untamed lands surrounding her home village. "Yeah, it sure is."

It seemed that the entirety of Team Four was anxious to return home. They traveled hard and fast, closing in on their home village half a day earlier than Akana had predicted. Soon enough they found themselves among a small stream of people making their way through the village gates.

As was usual in Kumo, Naruto and Yugito found themselves to be the center of attention with countless glances in their direction and conversations pitched too low for them to hear. But there was something different this time. The looks usually contained a mixture of awe, confidence, hope, and similar feelings. They were reflections of the villagers' desire of the strength that To-Remu Yajuuki would give Kumogakure. But now, now Naruto could pick up new emotions behind those guarded glances. Some of the stares now contained anger, fear, resentment; emotions that hadn't been directed against the boy in ten years. It was mildly unnerving.

The oddities didn't end their either. They had barely been in the line for two minutes when a four man ANBU squad landed around them. One of the ANBU, supposedly the leader, turned to address Akana. "Karaichi Akana, we have been ordered to escort you and your team to the Raikage's office upon your arrival."

She frowned, "Why would we need an escort, it's not like we don't know our way around the village. Is there an assassin hiding somewhere in there?"

"We are not at liberty to discuss the situation with you. Raikage-sama wishes to inform you of it personally."

"Okay then, lead on I guess."

Naruto and Yugito exchanged puzzled and nervous glances. Something was definitely out of the ordinary here. And neither blonde could shake the feeling that what they learned today was going to shape their lives for years to come. Doing their best to shake off the feeling, they leapt off to follow their ANBU escort. The ANBU set their pace to Meitoku's maximum speed, and they reached the Raikage's Tower quickly. There Team Four was surprised once again. The usual practice was to enter through the lobby. Instead, the ANBU team led them straight through the open window.

The Raikage didn't even look up as the eight people landed in his office. "I see the ANBU is as efficient as ever. You have my thanks, and are dismissed."

"Hai Raikage-sama." There were four blurs as the ANBU squad left the room.

The Raikage turned to look at a specific patch of wall. "You guys too." A half dozen ANBU emerged from various places of concealment and left the room as well. Once the last of them had left the Raikage raised his head to face the team. "A caravan arrived from Ho no Kuni yesterday. They carried some rather interesting news." He studied there faces for a moment. It was Naruto who seemed to be the most anxious, most curious. It appeared that the boy had figured out that this was concerning him.

"There are rumors going around in Konohagakure. Rumors that the caravan brought to Kumogakure yesterday, and they've been spreading like wildfire. Apparently, the citizens of Konoha are saying that their Yondaime Hokage's son has vanquished the Kyuubi and gained a kekkai genkai in the process."

Naruto stared in mute shock. "You mean…"

"Yes, according to Konoha you are the son of their Yondaime Hokage. It's certainly feasible, if unexpected. You look remarkably similar to him, and it could explain why he chose to seal the Kyuubi inside of you."

"You think he sealed the Kyuubi into me because I was his son!"

If the Raikage was surprised by Naruto's outburst he didn't show it. He did lean back in his chair and sigh. "The Yondaime Hokage was a great enemy of Kumogakure. But there's no denying that he was a noble man who would do anything to save his village. Bijuu are powerful beasts who can't be defeated by normal means, and the Kyuubi is the most powerful of them all. When the Kyuubi attacked the Yondaime would have had no choice but to seal him away."

"I know all of that already."

The Raikage continued on as though he hadn't heard Naruto's outburst. "As I said earlier, the Yondaime was a noble man. He likely felt that he couldn't ask any parent to sacrifice their child when he was unwilling to do so himself. I can't imagine how hard of a decision that must have been for him."

"How has the village reacted to this news?"

"Ahh, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. Not that I'd expect anything else from you Akana. Reactions have been mixed. There are some citizens who could care less about Naruto's parentage; they only see him as a bearer of To-Remu Yajuuki and a great asset of this village. There are some who are excited, believing it to be further proof that Naruto will be an excellent shinobi. The majority of the village has taken one of those two stances. However, there are also a few who are less trusting of Naruto now. They tend to be those who lost loved ones to the Yondaime during the Third Great Shinobi War, or the shinobi who have more of an isolationist stance regarding foreign policy. Finally, there appears to be a very few people who now wish harm upon Naruto. So far we've encountered two, and they've both been arrested and detained. So overall, most of the village views him either the same or more favorably than before. There are some though, who are distrustful of you now. And a very few who might try to attack you. So just remember to be careful."

"Thank you for the information Raikage-sama." Naruto's voice was quiet, subdued. "I'll take my leave."

"Naruto," concern was evident in his mother's voice, "where are you going?"

"Someplace…to reflect on things." There was a crackle of electricity as Naruto disappeared from the room.

The Raikage turned to look at his former student. "How do you think he's going to take it?"

Akana sighed as she plopped down on a couch at the far end of the room. "It'll be an adjustment for him. He was an orphan in Konoha, and he's been raised solely by me since I brought him to Kumogakure. He's never known a father figure before. I can't really predict how he's going to react."

Both of the adults in the room turned to look at Yugito as they heard her open the office's door. "Where are you going Yugito?"

"To talk to Naruto."

"He never told us where he went."

"I've been close to him for years, and spent more time with him when he's away from home than anybody. I don't need him to tell me where he went."

Every major shinobi village has a memorial of sorts to their former Kages. In Konohagakure their faces were carved in the side of the cliff that overlooked the village. The other villages had methods that were more indicative of their respective elements. In Kirigakure shinobi would use powerful long-lasting jutsu to create lifelike water sculptures of the Mizukages that were adorned with their swords after their death. Iwagakure created massive tombs topped with the effigies of their past leaders. Sunagakure 

used tall, fluted columns engraved with images of the Kazekages. The ever-present wind was always blowing through them, and they were constructed so as to give off a mournful whistling sound. It was a fitting tribute for the leaders of their past.

Kumogakure's memorial stood in a large park located near the center of the village. Eight massive columns rose eight-hundred feet into the air, each engraved with the names of shinobi who died in service to their village. It was capped by an enormous dome of stained glass, reinforced with seals so as to allow it to survive the brutal weather that swept through the area. The past Raikages were depicted in the stained glass, back dropped against the stormy clouds that gave the village its name and looking down over the home they had sworn to protect with their lives.

It was the first place Yugito went to look for him. Knowing that it was one of his favorite spots to think, and believing it to be especially fitting under the circumstances, she climbed towards a wide ledge situated three quarters of the way up one of the columns. Her intuition was proved correct as she heard Naruto's voice float down towards her. "I should have known that you'd find me Yugito-chan. So how does it make you feel, knowing that the guy you're dating is the son of one of our village's greatest enemies?"

She clambered over the lip of the ledge, not really surprised that he had sensed her approach. It wasn't easy to hide your chakra signature while walking up a vertical surface. She glared down at him, reclining on the hard marble of the pillar. He looked about as deflated, as bereft of energy as she had ever seen him. "You know, sometimes you're just an idiot." He continued to just lie there, seemingly oblivious to her harsh tone. "You should know by now that I wouldn't see you as the son of the Yondaime Hokage, just like I never saw you as the bearer of To-Remu Yajuuki" Her tone softened, "You should know by now that I see you for who you are, not what you are. I always have."

He sat up and turned to face her, showing the haunted look in his eyes. "But what about the rest of the village. I'm going to be hated by some of the people again, for something out of my control. I can't even remember my time in Konohagakure, but it sounds as though it was horrible. I don't want to have to go through that now."

"Weren't you listening, the Raikage said that those who are judging you negative because of the news are in the minority. Besides, people in this village have been judging you based off of what you are for years, and you've never let it go to your head. Why let it start now?"

He gave a small smile at that as she sat down in front of him. "I guess you're right Yugito-chan. You always seem to know what to say."

She smirked as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close and resting his head on her shoulder. "Of course I do."

Naruto took a deep breath, inhaling Yugito's scent and steeling himself. "Yugito-chan."

"Yeah?"

Naruto paused a bit, hesitating. He could feel the raging torrent of emotions swirling within him. Today had already seen one major change happen in his life, one that he had no control over. And now he was about to cause another one. He couldn't help feeling quite a bit of trepidation. But at the same time, it just felt right. "Yugito-chan," he said softly, "I-I love you."

He felt her stiffen, and for an instant worried about how she'd respond. But only for an instant. This was Yugito, and even if they'd only been dating for a few months they'd known each other for as long as either of them could remember. He knew her almost as well as he knew himself, and he knew he had nothing to be worried about. She squirmed in his lap, turning around to face him. Their faces were only inches apart, and he could see the deep contentment that she felt. "Naruto-kun," there was no uncertainty in her voice, not after she had just heard his confession. There was only calm, caring confidence. "I love you too."

"Yugito-chan," she felt her self tumble backwards as Naruto bore her to the ground beneath him. They spent a long moment in each other's embrace, kissing, reveling in each other's presence and the declaration they had just shared.

Afterwards they continued to lie there in each others' arms. Naruto was smiling as he traced the symbols at the edge of Yugito's shirt. His earlier uncertainty was forgotten. "A pity," Yugito murmured, "that we aren't a few years older," She gave a playful grin as she moved her head to whisper in his ear, "Then we could have really had some fun." Naruto blushed a deep red as he thought of the implications of her statement. She smirked again as she climbed to her feet, and offered a hand to pull Naruto to his. "Come on, we should get back. Akana has to be worried about you, Meitoku as well."

Naruto grabbed the offered hand and let her pull him to his feet. "Yeah, let's go." The couple leapt off the column, heading towards the city proper. They spent a little bit of time combing through Akana's usual haunts. She wasn't at any of them, and it wasn't until they checked back at the Raikage's office that they found her. He was mildly surprised. "You're still here?"

"I wasn't done yet, there was another important piece of information for me to tell you. Akana and I have been reminiscing while awaiting your return."

"Their stories are most impressive."

"So you're still here too Meitoku?"

"The news concerned our entire team. Of course I was going to say. Besides, hearing about Raikage-sama's exploits from his own mouth is quite an opportunity. I wouldn't want to waste it."

"Anyways," said the Raikage as he took a scroll from the top drawer of his desk. "Your heritage isn't the only thing we heard about from Konohagakure. This is a letter from their Sandaime Hokage; he's requesting Naruto's participation in Konoha's upcoming Chuunin Exams."

Akana slammed both hands down on the desk, "Absolutely not."

The Raikage sighed, "Akana, I've decided to enroll Team Four in the exams."

"Are you insane! This is obviously just some attempt to try to convince my son to stay in that village of theirs!"

"Do you really have so little faith in me as to believe that I hadn't realized that? Your concern for Naruto is commendable. He should be a priority for you, both as his mother and his jounin-sensei. Unfortunately, I don't have the liberty of basing my decisions off of what is best for an individual shinobi. I need to worry about our village as a whole. Regardless of Konoha's reasons, this is the first step towards a friendly diplomatic relationship they've offered in ten years. I cannot in good conscience turn it down."

"But they're just rookies. They could die, or," she paused for a second, and everyone in the room could sense the sheer desperation in her voice, "or he could stay."

"Akana, I can understand your anxiety, but you're letting your emotions get in the way of your better judgment here. Team Four is no ordinary gennin team. Both Yugito and Naruto could take almost any of our chuunin in a one on one fight. When they fight side by side, they could probably take on most jounin. Meitoku is impressive as well. He's extremely talented for a gennin, and I believe him to be ready for these exams. No political situation could convince me to enter your team if I thought otherwise.

As for Naruto defecting, you should know even better than I that we don't have to worry about that. He's never been fond of the hero-worship he's received here. I doubt he'd be able to stand it if it wasn't for those of you who've actually gotten to know him. He wouldn't have any of that in Konoha. There's no way he'd stay there."

"He's right Kaa-san. They'd never convince me to say in Konoha. I may have been born there, but Kumogakure is my home. Besides, this is my chance to show Konoha what they missed out on. I wouldn't miss it for the word."

**Author's Note****: I have to say, I'm curious to see what you guys think of the scene at the Raikage's Monument. I hadn't really planned on having it turn out like that, but the story just seemed to take over and write itself. Hope you guys liked it.**

**Translations**

**Shitai no To-Remu: Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Ninpou: Seichi Kanran no Raihenkon: Translates to Ninja Art: Subtle Viewing of Lightning Conversion. The user of this technique begins by taking control of the chakra in the target's mind, just like every genjutsu. The user than gradually gains control of the chakra within the target's mind. Eventually, if the genjutsu remains unbroken the user is able to recompose the chakra into lightning chakra, affecting the target's nervous system and eventually destroying their brain. It's also possible to use this technique to recompose the chakra into a different element, Akana just uses Lightning Chakra because it's her primary affinity.**


	8. Chapter 7: A Homecomingof Sorts

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Walking the streets of Kumogakure became a new experience for Naruto. The Raikage had been right, and many of the people still viewed him in a positive light. There were those, however, who did not. And they cast a bit of a pall over the streets that Naruto walked. He seemed to bear up under it well enough though; he had long ago perfected the trick of tuning out those who would judge him superficially.

One of the more annoying consequences of his revealed heritage was an increase in fan girls, with whom he was forcibly polite. Some girls seemed star struck by his revealed parentage, while others grew attracted to the aura of danger that they now imagined around him. Thankfully Yugito kept them at arm's length, physically if necessary. Still, Naruto mused as he walked down the street one night after a solo training session, it would be nice if something could get rid of his fan girl problem.

He stopped suddenly, his instincts picking up something out of the ordinary. His eyes widened as he recognized the feel of the chakra being built up. Megurushi no To-Remu activated as Naruto dove to the side, avoiding the lightning bolt that blasted a crater into the street where he had been standing. It seemed that the Raikage had not yet caught everybody who wished him harm.

Naruto flipped over to the side, avoiding a blur that shot down at him from the rooftops. The assaulting shinobi wore one of the gray vests Kumo awarded to its shinobi upon achieving the rank of chuunin, meaning he was fighting either a chuunin or jounin. Naruto skidded to a stop on all fours, and studied his assailant's body language carefully.

Naruto predicted his opponent's next attack easily, and the strike before it was even thrown. The man was easy to read, likely a chuunin, but that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous. He was attacking with no regards for his own safety, and he seemed intent on killing or maiming the young Araiki. Naruto was reluctant to harm his attacker, as it would just encourage those who now looked down on him. Unfortunately, Naruto mused as he dodged another blow, that left him at a severe disadvantage as attacking with a non-lethal blow would open him up to a lethal counterattack.

So taijutsu was out. His wind-based attacks weren't an option either. They were either highly lethal, or attacks that covered a wide area. Water jutsus weren't an option either, since there was no significant source of water around. Naruto made a note to remember to figure out a way to bypass that problem in the future. The final stage of his bloodline however, that could work.

Then Naruto stepped on a piece of fruit that had been knocked from a produce stall as the civilians had rushed to clear the area. His foot slid out from under him, forcing Naruto down onto one knee. He was able to avoid a kunai by twisting desperately to the side, but that left him open to what promised to be a rather brutal kick. He braced himself for the impact, but it never came.

There was a blur to either side of Naruto, and his assailant suddenly found his arms pinned against a nearby wall by a pair of Kumo-nin. A third stood over Naruto and offered a hand to help him to his feet. "Are you alright Naruto-san?"

"Yeah," Naruto grabbed the proffered hand and let the shinobi pull him to his feet, "thanks for the help, I didn't want to have to hurt him. Who are you by the way?"

"Oh, that's not important. We're just a few concerned citizens who don't like to see young shinobi get assaulted in the streets, whether they have a bloodline or not. You won't have to worry about him anymore; we'll bring him to the detention center for you."

"Thanks, that's rather considerate of you. It's good to know that we still have some shinobi with their heads screwed on straight. I'm just hoping that people settle down while I'm away for the Chuunin Exams."

"I wasn't aware that we were sending any teams to Konoha."

"I just found out about it a few days ago, and I'm a participant. It doesn't surprise me that you haven't heard about it." Naruto glanced at a clock on a nearby building. "Huh, looks like it's starting to get late. Kaa-san should have dinner ready so I should get going."

"Very well Naruto-san, I wouldn't want to make you late. Good luck at the Chuunin Exams."

"Luck?" said Naruto as he started jogging down the streets. "I won't need it."

**Outside of Kumogakure**

Akasuna no Sasori was standing in a clearing a few miles from Kumogakure. A few days ago he had defeated a trio of chuunin and placed a seal on the survivor. That seal was one of his best works. It would leave its bearer unaffected until a certain amount of data was gathered on a given subject, the lone exception being that it would erase the victim's memories of Sasori. Once sufficient information was gained the seal activated, suppressing the person's consciousness and causing them to report the information to him. He had felt the seal break, and came to the clearing to await the chuunin's arrival. A few minutes later two figures landed in the clearing. One of them was one of the shinobi who had come to Naruto's aid; the other was the unconscious body of his assailant. "It looks as though you have much to report," Sasori said, "you may begin."

**3 Days Later, Outside of Konohagakure**

A few days later Team Four rounded a bend in a path that led through the deep forest, finally bringing them in view of Konohagakure's massive wooden gates. "Well," Akana said, "there you are. Konohagakure, Naruto's first place of residence." It didn't escape the notice of any of her gennin that she had stopped short of calling the village Naruto's home. Not that any of them minded. Naruto didn't consider his original village to have ever been a home. And from what they had heard of his treatment for the first two years of his life the village wouldn't be worthy of the name anyway.

Naruto adjusted how the straps of his pack rode on his shoulders as he regarded his birthplace. "Well, we may as well keep moving. I'm going to have to face the place sooner or later." Yugito was standing at his side, and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze as they started moving again. It was her way of reminding him that she was there supporting him, and he was grateful for it.

The nice thing about the Chuunin Exams, mused the chuunin on gate duty, was that greeting gennin teams was slightly more interesting than greeting the random merchants that tended to drift in and out of the village. His thoughts were seemingly proved correct as another team walked into view, wearing Kumogakure hitaites. "Hey, Kotetsu is that?"

"Yeah," the other chuunin on guard duty cut Izumo off, "I think so. It looks like the Yondaime's son has returned." The two chuunin waited rather anxiously for the team to draw close to the gate before addressing them. "Please provide your names and reason for visiting Konohagakure."

"I'm Karaichi Akana, jounin-sensei of Team Four. My gennin team consists of Gifu Meitoku, Araiki Yugito, and Araiki Naruto. We are here because my team will be participating in the upcoming Chuunin Exams." Kotetsu took the papers Akana offered, giving them a cursory glance before waving the team through. No sooner had Team Four passed the guard table than they heard excited murmurs begin behind them. Naruto sighed, it was going to be a long month.

The first impression the gennin had of Konohagakure was that it was remarkably similar to Kumogakure. Many of the buildings had similar outward appearances and there was a familiar mix of civilian and shinobi in the streets. As they walked through the streets the gennin concluded that there were two main differences between the villages, at least appearance-wise. Business areas, residential districts, and training areas were shifted around. And whereas Konohagakure was constructed primarily of wood the buildings in Kumogakure were built of stone to withstand the ever-present storms that swept the area.

There was also a constant muttering from the people around them, as well as a constant stream of whispered Namikaze-samas that seemed to flow from the lips of everyone around them. Naruto was used to this treatment from his time in Kumogakure, but it was much more blatant than it was back home. They had been walking he streets for less than ten minutes in search of their hotel when a member of Konoha's ANBU landed in front of them. "Pardon the intrusion Namikaze-san,"

"Araiki," Naruto interrupted.

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Araiki Naruto, not Namikaze Naruto."

The ANBU had no visible reaction to that statement, but a change of expression could have easily gone unnoticed behind his mask. "Very well Araiki-san. Hokage-sama has requested that you come to his office to speak to him as soon as is possible."

Akana sighed, "Fine, I guess we can go talk to the Hokage and then find our hotel."

"Hokage-sama would like to speak to Naruto-san alone."

Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly. The switch from surname to first name hadn't gone unnoticed. It appeared that the ANBU was perfectly content to emphasize Naruto's paternal connection to the village and inclined to overlook anything that distanced him from Konoha. "Anything the Hokage has to say to me likely applies to my team as well. Especially since my connection with them is more than just professional. Akana has adopted me as her son. Not to mention that Yugito-chan not only shares my bloodline but is my girlfriend as well."

"The Hokage has requ-"

"I don't care if the Hokage wants to talk to me alone. He should be happy that I've agreed to talk to him in the first place. In case you've forgotten I'm a shinobi of Kumogakure, not Konohagakure. I owe no allegiance to the Kage of your village, or of any village besides Kumo. So I'll say this one last time, I'll talk to the Hokage with my team or not at all."

The ANBU hesitated for a moment, "Hokage-sama won't like this."

"We've been over this before, I don't care whether he likes it or not."

A sigh could be heard from behind the mask. "Fine, follow me." The ANBU spent the next fifteen minutes trying to ignore Naruto's satisfied smirk as he led Team Four to the Hokage's Tower. The ANBU walked them into the lobby of the Hokage Tower and went to speak to the secretary. "I've brought Team Four of Kumogakure to speak with Hokage-sama."

"Didn't he just want to speak with Namikaze-san?"

"Don't remind me."

"Whatever, there's nobody in the office now so feel free to send them in."

"Very well." The ANBU motioned for Team Four to follow him as he climbed a set of stairs. He got off at the top floor and walked open to a set of double doors. "Hokage-sama," he called, "I have brought Naruto-san here to talk to you. He insisted on bringing his team with him."

They waited for a few seconds before the Hokage's reply came. "Thank you, please send them in." The ANBU pushed the door open before stepping aside, leaving the way clear for Team Four to pass through. Naruto paused for a second, a bit nervous at the prospect of meeting one of the world's most powerful shinobi. Yugito sensed his hesitation and took his hand in hers while stepping in close, lending him her support and earning a smile of gratitude from the young blonde. It prompted a smile from Akana as well. The two would walk through fire for each other, and she was happy beyond belief that Naruto had a girlfriend who was so supportive. Taking a deep breath, Naruto steeled himself and walked into the room to meet Konohagakure's Legendary Professor.

Sarutobi had sent an ANBU member out to find Naruto as soon as he learned that the boy had entered the village, which didn't take long. Then he had waited anxiously, looking forward to seeing the boy for 

the first time in ten years. He had calmed down when the door creaked open. Bringing his excitement under control, he was soon rewarded with the sight of Naruto entering his office walking hand-in-hand with a young blonde kunoichi. The pair was soon followed by the rest of their team; the blonde-haired female jounin who had kidnapped Naruto and a somber-looking boy who appeared to be the final member of the gennin team. "Hokage-dono, I was told that you wished to speak to me."

Sarutobi winced inwardly at the formal tone that Naruto used. There was no excitement, no warmth. The boy didn't seem happy to be back in Konohagakure in the least. "Naruto, you have no idea how happy it makes me to see you in Konohagakure once more."

"I wasn't exactly left with much choice in the matter. It's interesting though, how I didn't hear from Konoha for ten years. Even more so since the timing coincided almost perfectly with the village finding out that I no longer held the kyuubi and that I now possess a bloodline. Not to mention the details of my heritage. One might find ulterior motives behind this sudden interest."

Sarutobi did well to hide his growing worry; this was not going as well as he had hoped. "Naruto, I've been part of a small group of people who've been trying to bring you back ever since you went missing. Unfortunately, we haven't had enough support from the rest of the village. But the situation has changed."

"You mean you learned that I had a kekkai genkai instead of a demon. And how the villagers learned that I was the Yondaime Hokage's son."

Sarutobi had to hide another wince. "Yes, but that isn't the reason I want to bring you back."

"But it is the reason that the rest of Konohagakure does. You were banking on that, it's why you gave them all that information. Did you even stop to think about the consequences; stop to think about how Kumogakure would react? I've been attacked because of your lack of discretion, assaulted on the streets of Kumogakure. They may have been judging me superficially, but they still viewed me in a positive light. Thankfully they still do, but you could have demonized me."

That did cause Sarutobi to sigh. It appeared that his gamble to let Kumogakure know of Naruto's heritage had backfired. "I'm sorry for that Naruto, I truly am. I didn't know that you were being treated so well in Kumogakure. I thought that they would have been more regulatory, more strict." He turned to glare at Akana. "I know well the lengths that Kumogakure would go to in order to obtain a bloodline."

"Insulting my mother doesn't help your cause Hokage-dono. Nor does insulting the village where I was raised."

"Forgive me, the past animosity between our Kumogakure and Konohagakure is not something I should have brought up. That's not what's important here. The important thing is that Konoha will accept you now. Naruto, you can come home."

"I will be coming home; in five weeks when the exams are done I'll be going back to Kumogakure. I have a mother there, a girlfriend, a team, and several instructors. There are people in Kumogakure who actually know me. No one in Konoha has seen me in ten years. They only know what I am, and all they can do is judge me based off of superficial qualities. I get plenty of that at home; I won't have anybody who actually knows me here. I'm staying in Kumogakure, and there's nothing you can do to convince me otherwise."

"Don't you think it's a little to early to make that decision?"

"Not at all. But that doesn't mean we don't have anything to talk about."

"Your inheritance."

"You live up to your reputation as The Professor, Hokage-dono."

"A shinobi doesn't get as old as I am without being able to read people, remember that. On to your inheritance, the Yondaime left a lot of money behind, he earned plenty with all of the S and SS Class missions he took. He also left behind a fairly luxurious house in the village for you. But that's not what you're interested in is it?"

"No, it's not. What about the Hiraishin?"

"I'm afraid that technique might be lost."

"What do you mean lost?"

The Hokage sighed as he climbed to his feet. He walked over and removed the Yondaime's portrait from the wall, revealing a plain section of wall marred only by a seal drawn in blood. "The Yondaime was perhaps the greatest seal master the world has ever known. He had foreknowledge of the Kyuubi's arrival and prepared accordingly. He sealed everything he left behind for you with blood seals, but the levels of security he used varied. For the money and the house he used some of the more basic blood seals that could be released by anybody who was of blood relation to him.

But he was considerably more worried about the jutsus he left behind. He took a sample of your blood when he made this seal, and keyed it to your DNA. Variance due to the Kyuubi wasn't unanticipated, but he intended for you to claim your inheritance no later than your sixteenth birthday. Under normal circumstances your DNA never would have changed this much. You can try, but I don't think your blood will be able to release the seal anymore."

Naruto didn't comment as Megurushi no To-Remu flared briefly upon his skin. He raised a claw to his fingertip, drawing a line of blood. He brought the bloodied finger down diagonally across the seal. It glowed slightly, but then reverted back to its original state.

Sarutobi sighed, "It appears that the Hiraishin is lost to this world."

"A pity, it's always unfortunate when such valuable knowledge is lost. Well Hokage-dono, I'm afraid we must be going. We're still weary from several days of travel to get here and our looking forward to checking into our hotel and relaxing for a bit."

Sarutobi sighed again. "Very well, I won't keep you here any longer then. Though I do hope that you'll take a bit more time to consider your options. It's not too late to change your mind."

"No, it's not. But it's too late for you to change my mind. Goodbye, Hokage-dono." Naruto opened the door, and turned to hold it for the rest of his team. He waited until they were all out of the room to close the door and turn around. That was when he noticed the new arrival. There was a man leaning against the wall opposite of the door. He was tall and thin; his hitaite and mask covered most of his face, leaving only one eye and a bit of the face around it revealed. That combined with the man's silver hair allowed Naruto to recognize him at once. Hatake Kakashi, one of Konoha's most feared shinobi.

Naruto was so preoccupied with Kakashi's sudden appearance that he almost missed another presence off to his side. He turned just in time to catch a glimpse of a brown-haired woman before he was enveloped in a crushing hug. "Naruto, it's really you. It's been so long. I still haven't forgiven myself for failing you that day."

"Umm, hi." Naruto was understandably a bit confused. "Who are you?"

She stepped back, holding him at arms length to get a look at him. Naruto was somewhat surprised to see traces of tears in her eyes. It seemed that she really was happy to see him. "My name is Rin. I was your caretaker for two years. Then came that night. I didn't remember it at first, but Yamanaka Inoichi was able to help me regain my memories. I had taken you to see the parade as Kumogakure's Ambassador entered Konoha to sign a peace treaty. I-I must have been followed back to the apartment. We weren't even there for five minutes before I was attacked. I couldn't stop her, I lost. And then she took you away. It's all my fault."

"You know," commented Yugito dryly, "not everybody is upset that Naruto went to Kumogakure, including Naruto." That earned her a rather dirty look from Rin. A look that morphed into one of hatred, and was accompanied by a flare of killing intent, as she saw Akana standing behind her student.

"You," Rin spat as her hand inched towards her Kunai holster. "How dare you show your face here!" She tensed her legs, preparing to spring when Naruto moved. He appeared suddenly behind the two kunoichi, with both his Megurushi and Shitai no To-Remu activated. Kakashi moved as well, appearing behind Rin and placing a restraining hand on her shoulder.

"You seem to be angry Rin, but I would not take kindly to you attacking the woman that is both my mother and sensei."

"Besides," added Kakashi, "our relation with Kumogakure are already strained. We can't afford to create an incident here." He turned to give an eye smile to Naruto and his team. "You'll have to forgive Rin here." Yugito opened his mouth to retort, but decided against it when Akana elbowed her in the 

back. "She's never quite forgiven herself for failing Naruto all those years ago." He fixed his stare on Akana, "You've placed quite a burden on her."

"You're one to talk Kakashi. How many widows lie alone at night because of Konoha's most feared assassin?"

"True enough, I fulfill the missions I'm assigned just as you do. I've never kidnapped anybody though."

"Enough of this, we could spend all day sniping back and forth at each other. I assume that it's no coincidence that you met up with us here."

"No, it's not. The Yondaime was our jounin sensei. Rin has already mentioned that she was the boy's caretaker, and I visited him frequently before you took him to Kumo. We've been wondering how he's been doing all these years, and didn't want to miss the opportunity to see him."

"Your concern is appreciated Kakashi-san. Unfortunately this isn't the best time. As I've already told the Hokage, my team and I are weary from our journey. We'd really like to make it to our hotel. We can talk some other time maybe."

If Kakashi felt any disappointment he didn't show it. "Very well, I look forward to meeting you later."

"Until then I suppose." Kakashi and Rin stayed still as Team Four left. And Akana could feel Rin's eyes boring into her back until they turned the corner and were lost to her sight.

Trying to avoid further incidents, Team Four took to the rooftops as they traveled to their hotel. Thankfully, they didn't encounter anybody else and were able to make it to their hotel in a manner of minutes. They checked in without incident, and it was with great relief that they finally entered their room. No one could ever accuse Kumogakure of being frugal when it came to the Araikis, or their elite jounin like Akana. The room Team Four found itself with was no exception.

They were in a luxury hotel, one that was obviously meant to house important foreign dignitaries. It was also built with shinobi teams in mind. Team Four found themselves in a four bedroom suite. There was a small kitchenette, which they discovered was stocked with basic foodstuffs. The common room was comfortably furnished and decorated with scenes from famous shinobi conflicts. The Kumo-nin were pleasantly surprised to see that the pictures seemed to focus on the exploits of all the shinobi villages instead of just emphasizing Konoha as one might expect. Of course, that was probably because the hotel housed foreign, not domestic, dignitaries. The bedrooms were nice too, and they dropped their bags off in their respective rooms before meeting in the common room.

"Well," said Akana, "at least the trip hasn't been dull so far."

"That would have been the preferable alternative," Naruto growled. He was sitting in the corner of a couch. Yugito was sprawled across the rest of the couch, resting her head on his lap. "It's even worse here than it is back home!"

"I'm not sure I'd say that," said Yugito, "they've been leaving me alone."

"Your concern is touching."

"I try."

Akana decided to put an end to their bickering; they could keep going for quite a while if they wanted to. "Back to the matter at hand, the Chuunin Exams don't start for two days. That means you're going to have another day in this village without anything to do. I won't try to confine you to the hotel or anything, but I don't think I have to remind you of the delicacy of the situation. So don't do anything stupid."

"Hey, why are you staring at us when you say that?"

"Because Meitoku's a lot more level-headed than you are."

"Your faith is touching."

Akana grinned before mimicking Yugito's earlier words, "I try."

Naruto groaned, "I'm going to bed." There was a crackle of electricity as he disappeared with a shunshin.

Yugito's head plopped down onto the couch, and she turned to fix Akana with an annoyed stare. "Hey, you scared my pillow away."

Akana grinned as she too headed for her room. "You've got a bunch more on your bed. Get some sleep."

Yugito stuck her tongue out and disappeared in another swirl of electricity, using a shunshin just like Naruto had. Akana and Meitoku just shook their heads and went to their room via more conventional methods. Akana stopped dead when she opened her door though, suddenly understanding why Yugito had opted to use the shunshin. There wasn't a pillow left on Akana's bed, and she had a sneaking suspicion that she knew where to find them. Team Four's jounin-sensei sighed, it was going to be a long month.

Naruto and Yugito were up early the next morning. Not content to sit around the hotel doing nothing, they decided to wander around Konoha, from the rooftops of course. Naruto didn't feel like dealing with the villagers of Konoha at the moment. They did learn a few things. There were very few teams from the other major shinobi villages. They knew they were the only team from Kumo, and didn't see anybody from Kiri. They only managed to spot one team from Iwa and had yet to see anybody from Suna.

The couple came to as stop as they felt something. It was a strange chakra, they had only ever felt something similar to it once. That was the last time they had seen the Raikage's brother, a jinchuuriki. The man, whose name they couldn't quite remember, was impressed that they were able to sense the demonic chakra on him. Their bloodline appeared to help them there. Naruto turned towards Yugito, "Konoha's not supposed to have a jinchuuriki are they?"

"No, they're not. So either Kumo's intelligence is wrong…"

"or one of the gennin we're competing against has a bijuu. Think we should take a look?"

"Of course." The two shinobi took a moment to ascertain the direction of the chakra signature, then leapt off. They were almost there when Naruto stopped, looking down to the streets. Yugito followed his gaze, noticing a young boy being threatened by a Suna shinobi wearing a pair of cat-like pajamas. There was a purple-clad kunoichi standing next to him with a fan on her back. She seemed disinterested, along with a pale Konoha shinobi dressed in black who was standing nearby. As if in contrast, there was a pink-haired kunoichi who seemed to be pleading for the boy's release. There was one other Konoha shinobi nearby, a raven-haired boy in a blue shirt standing on the limb of a nearby tree. Naruto smirked; it was time for a little fun.

"Kankuro," the Suna kunoichi was saying, "just put the kid down. You know Gaara wouldn't approve of this."

"The little brat ran into me Temari; I think I need to teach him some manners." He turned to face the kid again, only to find that the scarf he was holding was now wrapped around a log.

"You know," said Naruto, who was now standing on the branch above Sasuke with the kid next to him. "it's kind of disgraceful for a shinobi to be picking on a little kid like that. What's the matter, too scared to take on any of the ninja here?"

Unnoticed by most of the shinobi present, there was a brief surge of demonic chakra as another presence arrived on the scene. Naruto noticed it, but carefully kept his expression unchanged. Yugito narrowed her eyes from her place of concealment, studying the red-haired newcomer with the large gourd. Kankuro was fuming, "You talk awfully big from a distance, why don't you get down here and say that to my face?"

"Because you don't seem to want to turn around." Everyone, except Gaara and Yugito, were shocked to notice that there was another Naruto standing a few feet behind Kankuro. "That's a bunshin up in the tree. You guys need to be a bit more perceptive."

"Why you little," Kankuro's hand began inching towards the bandaged bundle on his back, but stopped when a raspy voice interrupted him.

"Kankuro, stop it." Most of the shinobi present gave another jump of surprise, just noticing Gaara hanging upside down from a branch.

"But Gaara, he started it."

"You're a disgrace. Do this again and I'll kill you."

"Y-yes Gaara."

There was a swirl of sand, and Gaara appeared in front of Naruto. "What's your name?"

"Araiki Naruto, though one should first offer their own name before asking another's."

"I am Sabaku no Gaara. You were the only one who noticed my arrival. And Mother reacts strangely to your presence. I look forward to facing you soon."

"Hey, don't forget about me."

Naruto turned to regard the boy sitting in the tree. "We didn't forget about you, we were ignoring you. There's a differnece."

"How dare you speak to me like that, I'm Uchiha Sasuke."

"Do you randomly proclaim your name to everybody you meet? Or just the people who look like they don't give a damn?"

"Why you," Sasuke jumped down from the branch, preparing to charge towards the two foreign gennin. Before he could move towards them the other male Konoha-nin appeared in front of them. "Sai, get out of the way."

Sai turned his head to glare at his teammate. "Calm down dickless, we can't afford a to start a diplomatic incident over your pride." He turned to face Naruto and Gaara, giving them a smile that came across as somewhat insincere. "You'll have to forgive my teammate, he can be a bit rash at times."

Naruto relaxed, easing out of the taijutsu stance he had assumed. "That's okay, no harm done. It's nice to see that he has somebody with a bit of common sense to keep him in line." Sasuke bristled at that comment. But in a rare moment where his discretion overruled his pride he stayed put. "I must say though, there seems to be more to you than meets the eye."

"I don't know what you're talking about Naruto-san."

"Of course you don't."

Gaara turned to face Naruto once more. "I look forward to facing you again Araiki Naruto." Then he turned to face his team. "We're leaving." They followed him away without a word of complaint. Naruto was about to walk away as well when he heard a feminine squeal. Spinning around, he just managed to sidestep as a pink and red blur flew past him. The Konoha kunoichi seemed unfazed, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"It's you isn't it? You're Namikaze-sama."

"I just told you, my name is Araiki Naruto."

"Yeah, I heard that's the name those bastard kidnappers in Kumo gave you, but you're the Yondaime's son aren't you?"

"Yes, Konoha sent word that your Yondaime Hokage is my father."

"I'm Haruno Sakura. Would you like me to show you around the village? I know a bunch of good restaurants."

Naruto hoped that Yugito wasn't listening as she didn't take kindly to other girls hitting on him. But he found that to be doubtful, so he hoped even more fervently that she'd exercise restraint. "I'm sorry, but I need to get going so I can meet up with my teammate."

"But I'm sure they'd understand…" Sakura trailed off as she felt another presence appear behind her. Sasuke couldn't believe it. A third shinobi, this one a blonde-hair Kumo kunoichi had gotten within a few feet of him without him noticing. This was unacceptable, how would he surpass Itachi fi so many kids his age could sneak up on him like that?

Naruto made eye contact with Yugito, silently asking her not to do anything too rash. "He said no, so back off."

Sakura only turned partway around, just far enough to catch a glimpse of a golden ponytail. This led her to come to the mistaken conclusion that it was Ino standing behind her. "Hey, I saw him first Ino-pig. So you're just going to have to deal with me taking him out on a date." To punctuate her statement, she spun around to poke Ino in the sternum. But it wasn't Ino standing behind her. Instead, she found herself facing a rather angry-looking Kumo kunoichi. Yugito's scowl only grew deeper as she looked at Sakura's finger, which was poking her in the breast.

The next thing Sakura knew she was face-down on the ground. Yugito had one of her arms twisted behind her and a knee resting in the small of her back, effectively pinning Sakura in place. "I have a few lessons for you Haruno. If a guy says no to you, listen to him. Secondly my boyfriend is not some piece of meat to be claimed by anybody, you especially. Third, don't hit on my boyfriend. Finally, watch where you put your damn fingers. Unlike you, some of us actually have something there. Oh, and a word of warning before I forget. Don't ever refer to anybody from my village as one of those "Bastard Kidnappers" again. You have no idea what their motives were."

Naruto was rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as he looked at the scene in front of him. "Well, you seem to have met my girlfriend Yugito-chan. Umm, do you think you could let Sakura-san up maybe?"

"So long as she can show a little more discretion." She got up and walked over to Naruto, grabbing him by the hand. "We should get going, Akana-sensei mentioned that she wanted to meet us for lunch."

"Umm right. Well, see you guys at the Chuunin Exams."

The two Kumo-nin leapt away, leaving Konoha's Team Seven behind. "Wait," said Sakura, "no one ever told us about the Chuunin Exams.

**Translations:**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern **

**of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Shitai no To-Remu: Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**


	9. Chapter 8: The Exams Begin

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

The rest of the day passed with no further incident and Team Four settled down to sleep for the night. Akana woke them up early the next day, after preparing breakfast for them. They ate quickly and she sent them off to Konoha's Ninja Academy with a bit of advice. "The Chuunin Exams can be dangerous, but as the Raikage said the three of you should be more than ready for it. So just remember to be careful, trust your instincts, trust your judgment, and watch each others' backs. And remember, in these exams you're representing Kumogakure. Do our village proud."

"Don't worry Kaa-san. Next time you see us we'll be Chuunin!"

"I'll see you between stages of the exam."

"Oh, we'll be one step closer to it then."

"I'm sure you will, good luck."

Naruto stuck his head back through the open door, "Thanks Kaa-san, but we aren't going to need luck."

Akana chuckled as the door swung shut. "As confident as ever I see. He'll need that for the first exam."

Meitoku managed to convince Naruto and Yugito that it would be best to walk to the academy in a civilian manner. He reasoned that they didn't know what the exams would entail, so it would be best to conserve as much of their chakra as possible. His teammates reluctantly agreed.

Naruto was relieved when they finally entered the academy. The stares and whispers here were worse than they were back home. They probably thought it would help convince him to stay in Konoha. In reality, it just made him all the more anxious to leave. Hopefully, the Chuunin Exams could keep him out of the public eye throughout most of his stay.

They entered the academy through a side doorway, leading them to a flight of stairs. Naruto and Yugito slowed a bit as they neared the top of the first flight of stairs. Meitoku, standing a few steps above them, shot them a puzzled glance. "Something wrong?"

"There's a genjutsu in the area. But I don't want to dispel it before I figure out what it is, might be a part of the exam."

"I'd assume it is, the door signs on this level indicate that it's the academy's third floor. However, that's impossible since we entered at ground level and have only climbed one flight of stairs." The rest of the team climbed to the landing just in time to hear Sasuke announce the genjutsu's presence to the entire floor.

"What an idiot," muttered Naruto, "this was obviously a pre-test of sorts. They wanted to weed out the less perceptive gennin."

Yugito was shaking her head, "Sai did mention that Sasuke often let his pride get the better of his common sense. Oh well, nothing we can do about it now. Let's just get to the exam room."

They climbed the stairs; not noticing that a Hyuga was eyeing them with a subtle and hateful glare. He was snapped out of his reverie as he heard his teammate start shouting about how he was going to go have a "youthful spar" with the young Uchiha.

Their other teammate, a bun-haired kunoichi didn't seem so thrilled with that idea. "Lee, this is crazy. The exams are going to start in a couple minutes. Neji, talk some sense into him."

"No, let him go Tenten. There's something I wish to take care of as well." He disappeared in a swirl of leaves, with Lee bounding off immediately afterwards. A puzzled Tenten was left behind. It was unusual for Neji to seek unnecessary fights. What in the world could get him so riled up?

Team Four had discovered that the third floor of the academy seemed to contain training rooms, a lot of them. They were walking through the fourth one when they felt a surge of chakra. They stopped, and saw a swirl of leaves and smoke as a figure appeared between them and the door. The smoke cleared to reveal the figure of a young male Hyuga standing there. Naruto bit back a curse. As well as most of Konoha viewed him, he somehow doubted that he'd be viewed very favorably by the Hyuga clan. Not considering the circumstances surrounding his departure from the village. He stepped forward, warily edging in front of Yugito and Meitoku. "Hyuga-san, what are you doing here?"

"Ten years ago, my father was sacrificed to appease your village after you were kidnapped. A result of political maneuvering to ensure that you stayed in Kumogakure. His death is your fault, and fate has decreed that you will die for that."

"I was two years old…" he trailed off, staring at the boy expectantly.

"You're waiting for my name?"

"Just as perceptive as I'd expect from a Hyuga."

"Neji."

"I was two years old Neji. I didn't ask for them to kidnap me, didn't do anything to facilitate it. I had no control over what happened that night. Blaming me for it is…madness. Not to mention that it was ten years ago, stop living in the past. Besides, we don't want to start another incident between our villages.

"Kumogakure hasn't shown much concern for that in the past."

"Enough Neji, you're not thinking straight. But know this, if you attack us now we'll respond in kind."

The boy's eyes narrowed, "You're right, now is not the time. But I will kill you Araiki Naruto, fate has decreed it." Then, he was gone in another swirl of leaves.

Naruto sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "This place just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?"

"Eh, jyuuken shouldn't work too well on us. And besides, you only have to put up with it for a month."

Naruto shook his head as he headed towards the door, "Longest month of my life." They exited the training area, and finally found themselves in a regular hallway. They saw the room they had to report to at the end of the hallway, with Kakashi standing in front of it. "Is there something wrong Kakashi-san? I wasn't aware that any jounin-sensei were present."

"I'm just making sure that my team passed their test," he stepped to the side, "Don't let me stop you."

"Why are they here if you're not sure they should be taking the exams?"

"I do believe they should be taking it, but I need to ensure that they feel the same."

"Umm, okay then. Well, we should get going."

Naruto walked through the door, only to pull up short in order to avoid walking into a dark-haired girl. Sensing his presence, she turned around. Naruto cursed inwardly as he found himself facing another Hyuga. Thankfully, however, she was decidedly less aggressive than Neji had been. She blushed, "G-gomen, excuse me."

"Don't worry about it." He walked past her, grateful that she was far more level-headed than her relative. He walked past her along with this team and found a seat further forward in the classroom. They were already scanning the room as they went, taking note of the people around them and remembering their sensei's advice from the previous day.

_Team Four was sitting in the common room of their suite, the gennin listening as Akana gave them advice. "When you get to the exams there are going to be a lot of gennin there. Many of them will be significantly older than you are, and most will look highly intimidating. Those are the ones you don't have to worry about. The ones who look intimidating are usually lacking in skill, so they try to use their appearance to throw their opponent off their guard. When you think about it, many of the most powerful shinobi look rather unassuming. Myself, Maito Gai, Deidara, the Yondaime Hokage; if you saw them walking down the street you'd think nothing of them, unless you knew of them of course. Those with true power can wear it like a cloak. They don't need piercings or any of that crap to try to intimidate people ._

_You don't have to worry about the older kids too much either. The Chuunin Exams are highly selective. Most shinobi who become chuunin are promoted through other means. There are two types of shinobi who take the Chuunin Exams. The first type are gennin like yourselves who are particularly talented. Their village enters them in the exams to display their strength and bring missions to the village. Political reasons can also play a role in the entrance of these gennin. The other type of gennin you'll find in these exams are those who are unable to get promoted through other means. They take the exam because it's their last chance to get past the rank of gennin. So remember to watch out for the younger, unassuming gennin. They're the ones that you'll be competing against at the end."_

As he took note of the various gennin assembled in the small room, Naruto felt his confidence growing. Most of the gennin were the ones who Akana had told him not to worry about. It was a distinct possibility some of the gennin present were exceptions to the norms Akana had described. But in general, Naruto was more than willing to trust in her experience and advice.

A surge of chakra drew his attention. He turned to see a group of gennin bearing hitaites from Otogakure charging towards the back of the room. They were heading towards a group of nine Konoha gennin who were about the same age as him, including the Hyuga girl and the gennin team he had encountered yesterday. There was also an older, silver-haired gennin present. The bulky, bandage-wrapped Oto-nin took a swing at the older Konoha-nin present. He leaned back and avoided the strike, but collapsed to the ground anyways as his glasses shattered. Naruto's eyes narrowed, there was more to that punch then met the eye. Naruto decided that he'd have to keep an eye on that gennin, even if he was stupid enough to tip his hand this early.

There was another surge of chakra, much larger than the first. Naruto turned his attention to the front of the room. A large group of Konoha-nin had appeared. One stood in the front, appearing to be the leader of the group. He was a scarred man with a trench coat and bandanna. Naruto recognized his description from the crash course Akana had given them about Konoha and its forces. This was Morino Ibiki, head of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Department. The first test was shaping up to be interesting.

"You, sound gennin, what the hell do you think you're doing? There's no unauthorized fighting in these exams. If I catch anybody pulling anything like that again I'll fail you on the spot. Is that clear?" No one in the room responded, very few would have even dared. "Good, now pay attention to my chuunin assistants. They're going to show you to your seats and I want you seated as soon as possible. I'm Morino Ibiki, and the first stage of the Chuunin Exams is just beginning."

A few minutes later all the gennin in the room had been sorted into an assigned seating arrangement. Ibiki was standing at the front of the room, commanding the attention of everybody present. "Okay gaki listen up, because I'm only going to say this once. The first stage of these exams is a written test that you have one hour to complete. The test is composed of ten questions. You'll find nine of them on the test that will be passed out, the tenth will be given to you with fifteen minutes left. Your team's scores will be averaged to see if you pass, and if anybody on your team gets a zero you all fail.

The only thing left to cover is cheating. Look around the room, all of the Konoha shinobi you see sitting at the edges are chuunin that I have personally handpicked. They all have sharp eyes, and will be watching you carefully. If you're caught cheating, you lose two points. If you're caught five times it means you've lost all ten of your points and fail along with the rest of your team." As he was speaking a few chuunin were distributing tests throughout the room. Ibiki waited for them to finish, "You have one hour to complete the test, beginning now!"

Naruto flipped his test over and scanned through the questions. To his surprise, he found that there were only three of them he'd be able to answer; which meant that it would be practically impossible for most gennin, and even lower level chuunin. It appeared that the written test wasn't the purpose of this part of the exam.

Naruto replayed Ibiki's instructions in his head, and it didn't take him long to discern the exam's true purpose. Usually, cheating was enough to disqualify you immediately. But here it was allowed, to an extent. That, combined with the difficulty of the questions, would cause almost all of the gennin present to cheat in order to pass. They'd have to be careful, though, for the chuunin sitting at the edge of the room were watching them like hawks. The guards were another indication that they were supposed to cheat. If Ibiki really wanted to catch all cheaters he could have brought in the Hyuga Clan and their Byakugan. By not using the all-seeing eye he was giving the gennin a chance to get away with it. Not that it would be easy though, the chuunin that were present were watching carefully. Even so they'd be hard-pressed to spot what he had planned without the Byakugan.

A tiny bit of blue-gray chakra emerged from between the bandages around his ankle. It wasn't the flashiest display of his bloodline's final stage, but it was enough to get the job done. He wondered how his team would do though, Yugito would be able to use the same method as he did and should be fine. The question was whether Meitoku would be able to get the answers or not. He'd just have to wait and see. With a sigh, Naruto settled down and awaited the return of his little spy while shifting uncomfortably.

Half an hour later, Naruto had finished filling out his test with what he was almost certain was the correct answers. The three questions he knew he could confirm himself. For the rest he had to settle for cross-checking the answers on various papers. Naruto sighed again, then waited for the tenth question to come.

Several teams were thrown out over the next fifteen minutes, their luck with some of the less subtle methods of cheating finally running out on them. Then Ibiki finally stepped up to talk again. Naruto leaned forward a bit, eager to finally get this over with. "Okay gaki, your forty-five minutes is up. It's time for the tenth question. But before I can give you the question you'll have to decide whether you want to take the question, or withdraw from the exams."

"What!" Naruto turned his head slightly to see a young Inuzuka rising halfway out of his chair, "why would we go through all of this just to back out now?"

"Because, if you don't answer this question correctly you automatically fail. And you will be barred from ever taking these exams again."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow, that was unexpected. Others around the room were less restrained in their reaction to the news. "That's bullshit," the Inuzuka was again showing a lack of restraint, "There are plenty of people who've taken these exams multiple times."

"I guess you're just unlucky kid, this is my first year proctoring these exams. I don't care how it was done in the past, this year I decide how it works. I even have a paper signed by the leaders of all your village leaders to back me up on this. You don't have to take the question. You're free to leave, disqualifying both yourself and your team, but then you can try again later. Make your decision."

Over the next several minutes, quite a number of teams left the room. Ibiki was rather pleased with himself. The gennin were dropping like flies, and the atmosphere was deliciously tense. Everything was going perfectly. Then he noticed a blonde shinobi from Kumogakure, who just looked bored. If he let that go it could ruin the atmosphere he had so painstakingly built. But if he could break the boy, then he could get rid of a lot more gennin. Especially any of the Konoha-nin that recognized they boy as Minato's son.

"You there, blondie from Kumo."

Naruto directed his gaze towards the front of the room. "Are you talking to me or Yugito-chan?"

"I'm talking to you gaki. You seem awfully relaxed right now. Don't you realize that your future depends on this? If you take the tenth question it will decide whether you'll be able to achieve the rank of chuunin or if you'll be stuck as a gennin forever."

To say that Naruto's response caught Ibiki by surprise would be an understatement. "Enough of your mind games, I'm getting bored. Just give us the damn question already."

"What did you say?"

"I said to give us the damn question already. I've been sitting here for the past forty-five minutes while you play your mind games and guess what, you don't scare me. I've taken bigger risks before, and I have no doubt I'll face them again. So just give us the question."

Ibiki had to resist the urge to swear out loud. Not only had Naruto not fallen for his trap, but the boy had openly defied him while doing so. He could already see an added eagerness in the eyes of the Konoha shinobi that were left, none of them were going to back down after that little speech by the Yondaime's son. None of the remaining foreign shinobi looked like they would leave either; they didn't want to be shown up by the young shinobi from Kumogakure. "Well, if none of the rest of you are going to leave I only have one thing left to say." He paused for a moment, drinking in the rising tension while he still could. "You all…pass."

"What!" The Inuzuka boy was apparently unable to keep his emotions in check, again. "What do you mean we pass? What happened to the tenth question?"

"There was no tenth question. Or I suppose you could say that the decision to stay for the tenth question was the final question. The blonde gaki pretty much had it right. As a shinobi, especially one who's reached the rank of chuunin, you'll face many difficult choices and dangerous scenarios. You may be given a mission where you need to retrieve a scroll from an enemy fortress. You have no idea what defenses are in place. Do you decline the mission because you don't want to risk your lives? Of course not. As a shinobi it is your duty to carry out the missions assigned to you, your duty to risk your lives. Anyone who isn't willing to risk their chance at becoming a chuunin isn't worthy of the rank."

Ibiki was about to continue when he saw a black ball approaching the window. He suppressed a sigh, she was doing it again. Most of the gennin present jumped in surprise as a black ball suddenly crashed through the window. There was a brief explosion, embedding four kunai into the wall and spreading a banner. It also revealed a newly arrived kunoichi, wearing a fishnet skirt under a trench coat and little else. The banner behind her read **Tokubetsu Jounin and Proctor of the Second Exam: Mitarashi Anko**.

Ibiki walked around the edges of the banner and cleared his throat, catching Anko's attention. "You're early…again. You also broke the window…again. Pretty soon the Hokage's going to start taking that out of your pay."

If Anko even heard him she didn't show it. "Are you going soft on me here Ibiki? Just look at all the gennin still left."

"Maybe we just have a better crop of examinees this time around."

"Whatever, that just leaves more for me to play with. I guarantee that when I'm done I'll cut their numbers by at least half." She turned to face the gennin, still sitting in their desks. "Okay gaki, get out of your seats and follow me. The second exam is up next!"

Not wasting any time, she turned and jumped out of the broken window. The remaining gennin hastily bolted out of their seats to follow. Anko lead them along the rooftops at a fast pace, many of the gennin had trouble keeping up. She returned to earth a few minutes later, landing in front of a foreboding chain link fence that cordoned off a swath of forest. She leaned against a tree and waited with uncharacteristic patience for the rest of the gennin to arrive. It only took about a minute, then she stood to address the assembled gennin.

"Okay this is Training Ground 44, also known as the Forest of Death. It's where your second exam is going to take place. You're going to be in there for a five day survival exercise."

"Five days," Naruto turned to see a somewhat pudgy Konoha-nin talking, an Akimichi unless he missed his guess, "what are we supposed to do for food?"

"Kill something, there's plenty of food in the forest. Course that includes you, some of the beasts in that place can get pretty big. Anyways, these are your objectives." She reached into her trench coat and pulled out a pair of scrolls. One had the kanji for heaven, and the other the kanji for earth. Before the exam begins, each team will be given one of these two scrolls and assigned a gate. The Forest of Death is a perfect circle, with gates evenly spaced at the perimeter and a tower in the center. Once the exam begins you will have five days to acquire both scrolls and make your way to the tower in the center of the forest. You cannot open the scrolls until you have arrived at the tower with both of them in your possession.

Once you get into the forest anything goes. You can use any technique you have at your disposal and use any amount of force you like. Killing is allowed." As she was speaking, she noticed that Naruto was more or less ignoring her. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she decided to make an example of him. It was always fun to incite terror and chaos.

Her hand slid to her kunai pouch and discreetly drew one. She flicked it suddenly, aiming to slice Naruto's cheek. As soon as the kunai left her hand she moved, disappearing from the sight of almost all the gennin present. Naruto had noticed her hand moving from the beginning, and discerned fairly easily that he was the focus of her attention. She was underestimating him.

He burst into movement at the same time as Anko, snapping his hand up and catching the kunai by the ring of its handle. He spun the kunai on his finger, securing a backhanded grip. He then thrust it back over his shoulder, letting the point rest lightly in the center of Anko's hitaite and stopping her half an arm's length away. "This behavior hardly seems befitting of a proctor Mitarashi-san."

Despite the situation Anko couldn't help but grin. "There's more to you than meets the eye isn't there Namikaze-Kun." She was forced to move quickly, reassuming her former position an instant before Yugito's fist passed through the space that had been occupied by Anko's head.

"It would be appreciated if the girls from Konoha would stop hitting on my boyfriend. And by the way, it's Araiki not Namikaze."

"Kumo sure seems to have sent an interesting team this year. Anyways," she pulled a piece of paper out of her coat, "this is a waiver. You're all going to have to sign this to absolve Konoha of all responsibility in case of your deaths. If you don't sign one you're disqualified. These chuunin here will pass out the forms. Once all three of you fill one out turn them in at that tent over there. Then you'll receive your scroll and a chuunin will take you to your assigned gate."

Team Four filled out their wavers without second thought and received an Earth Scroll. One of the chuunin walked them a quarter of the way around the forest to get to their gate and the team settled down to wait for the exams to begin. Meitoku glanced over to his teammates, "Shall we discuss our strategy for the second exam?"

Yugito looked over towards the chuunin proctor, "No, not yet. Wait until we get into the forest."

The chuunin smiled as he inserted his key into the lock on the gate. "Always cautious, a good trait for a shinobi." He took the lock off and stood in front of the gate, staring at his watch for a few minutes. "Okay, you have five days starting…now!" He threw the door open and stepped to the side. Three blurs flew past him as Team Four made their way into the forest.


	10. Chapter 9: Of Forests and Snakes

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Team Four leapt from tree to tree, heading deeper into the Forest of Death. "So," said Meitoku, "I assume that the two of you have a plan."

"Yeah, we're going to go into the forest a bit then spiral inwards. Some of the weaker teams might be a bit tentative and stick to the edges so with luck we can pick one of them off. Yugito-chan and myself will alternate keeping Ishiki no To-Remu active to give us a better chance of finding people."

Meitoku nodded, "Seems like a sound plan."

Naruto smirked, "Of course it does, it was my idea after all." His Ishiki no To-Remu blazed to life as he spoke. Then he moved up to take point as his teammates fell in behind him. Several hours passed by with no sign of any other teams. Then Yugito picked up three chakra signatures at the edge of her perception. Team Four conversed briefly before taking off, heading towards their targets. Shortly afterwards the Araikis picked up on another set of chakra signatures coming in. "There are six of them, should we still go in."

"I don't see why not," said Yugito, "That just makes it a three-way battle instead of a two-way one. And if there are two of them it's more likely that we'll find a heaven scroll. To top it off, if we get a third scroll that's one less team that can advance to the next round."

Meitoku briefly adjusted the way his katana rode on his back before adding his two cents. "I concur, the situation remains favorable. There is no reason to abort the attack."

"Looks like we're all in agreement then."

Team Four landed in a clearing in the forest a few minutes later, across from a team of Ame-nin. The Ame-nin standing at the forefront smirked as he regarded the team from Kumo. "Well, looks like the timing of things couldn't have been more perfect."

"Why, because you wanted to lose your scroll within the day?"

"No, because we have help coming." As he spoke the second set of chakra signatures arrived in the form of another team of Ame-nin that landed alongside the other. "Our two teams decided to cooperate for this test. You're outnumbered, there's no way you can win."

If Naruto was worried at all he didn't show it. "Have you ever heard the phrase quality over quantity? We may be outnumbered, but you're outclassed. I'm in a good mood though, so I'm willing to offer you a deal. If you give us one of your scrolls, preferably a Heaven Scroll, I'll let you keep the other one and leave you uninjured."

"Are you an idiot? You're outnumbered two to one, and since you won't surrender we're going to kill you all. Well, at least you two," he motioned towards Meitoku and Naruto as he spoke, "The girl we can have a bit of fun with."

Naruto glanced over to Yugito, "Yugito-chan don't," she was gone before he finished speaking, "do anything rash," he finished quietly.

Yugito reappeared in front of the boy who had spoken, she had a hand on either shoulder and Chikara no To-Remu was active. The boy smirked, "Interesting look on you. What's the matter? Can't wait until-" He was cut off as Yugito brought her knee up, hard. All of the boys in the clearing winced as the boy's pelvis broke with an audible crunch. The boy's mouth opened in a wordless scream of pain before he collapsed, mercifully unconscious.

In her anger Yugito had left herself open to counterattack, and two of the Ame-nin moved to take advantage of that. Naruto, however, was faster. He disappeared from view, and despite having four times the distance to cover reached Yugito before the Ame-nin. He effortlessly parried the attack of the first Ame-nin. His parry sent the attack flying out wide, causing the boy to lose his balance and stumble away. That allowed him to turn and confront the other incoming Ame-nin squarely.

He sidestepped his opponent's attack with ease, and lashed out twice. His first strike backhanded the Ame-nin across the face. As he stumbled backwards Naruto threw a kick. It caught his foe in the stomach, doubling him over and allowing his claws to dig deep gashes in the Ame-nin's abdomen. That was when the remaining Ame-nin charged. Naruto shook his head, they just didn't learn.

Yugito, who had calmed down somewhat, slid alongside him. The two calmly regarded the four attacking Ame-nin, waiting for their opportunity. It was provided by Meitoku, who launched a barrage of electrically charged senbon. The Ame-nin blocked them with kunai, and got quite a shock. The electrical charge stunned them and caused their muscles to spasm violently. It was all the opening that the Araikis needed.

Approximately forty-five seconds later they stood over the unconscious forms of five Ame-nin. The sixth was lying at the base of a nearby tree, terror evident in her eyes. "You know," said Naruto as he dug through pouches on the downed shinobi, "I know we're good. But still, there were six of them. You'd think they would have put up more of a fight."

Yugito flipped open a pouch, drawing forth a heaven scroll from within as Naruto found an earth scroll on a member of the other team. "Maybe we're just better then we thought we were."

"Guess so," Naruto turned to face the lone unharmed (mostly) Ame-nin. "Well, I told you I was in a good mood today, so I'll leave you conscious to stand guard over your comrades. A word of advice though, learn how to gauge your opponents better." With a blur, Team Four was gone.

"Our objective is complete," Meitoku noted as they leapt through the trees, "we should go straight to the tower. There is no reason to risk staying out here any longer than is necessary."

"I agree for the most part." Naruto glanced down at his bloody hands and feet. "But let's find a stream or lake to stop at first. Yugito-chan and I would like to clean up a bit."

"Very well."

It only took a few minutes for them to locate a suitable body of water. It was by small cliff. A stream ran off the edge of it, dropping off into a deep pool below. Naruto shrugged out of his gi and dove in. He entered the water without so much as a splash, and sunk almost all the way to the bottom before kicking his way to the surface. Then he paddled over to the shallower waters near shore, where he joined Yugito in scrubbing the blood from his hands and feet. A few minutes later they were clean and Naruto was tying his gi back into place. That's when it them.

A powerful wave of killing intent swept over the clearing. Naruto and Yugito swayed on their feet, shaken for a few moments before they were able to fight it off. Meitoku wasn't quite as resilient, collapsing to the ground under the weight of the malice in the air. "Ku ku ku, you two managed to resist my killing intent."

Naruto snapped his head around, catching sight of the figure that emerged on the far side of the pool. He had long black hair, and white skin with purple markings on his face. Naruto recognized the clothes he was wearing as those he had seen on a Kusa-nin earlier in the exam. He decided that he didn't want to know what had happened to her. For he recognized the shinobi in front of him, Orochimaru of the Densetsu no Sannin.

"What the hell are you doing here Orochimaru? You seem to be a little advanced for this test. Did you get demoted down to gennin-level or something?" Orochimaru didn't respond, opting instead to launch himself at the two Araikis. They scattered, leaping away as they activated Megurushi no To-Remu. Orochimaru appeared in front of Naruto before he even landed and launched a brutal series of midair punches and kicks. Naruto managed to block the first few, but then took a punch to the face. The sheer force behind the blow dazed the gennin, and left him vulnerable for a split second. A split second was all Orochimaru needed to bury his foot in the boy's stomach, sending him crashing into the pool below.

Orochimaru touched down lightly on the surface of the water, waiting for the boy's emergence. A splash drew his attention as Naruto shot out of the water. Orochimaru evaded the boy's strikes easily, almost appearing to be bored. "How disappointing Naruto-kun, I was expecting better from you." He threw a punch, breaking through Naruto's defenses with casual ease and hitting the young gennin across the face. He received a mild shock for his efforts, and Naruto disappeared in a crackle of electricity.

"Suiton: Suirou no Jutsu!"

Orochimaru grinned as Naruto rose from the water in front of him, carefully maintaining contact with the newly formed sphere of water that imprisoned the Snake Sannin. "Impressive Naruto-kun, pulling off a deception like that without me noticing. Apparently I underestimated you, even if you don't seem to know how to use that jutsu properly."

"What do you mean?"

"It's true that this jutsu will prevent me from attacking you, but it prevents you from attacking me as well. Furthermore, I can tell that you're not using a clone this time. So you can't even run away from me. It's just a waste of chakra."

"Unless I just needed to immobilize you." Chakra leaked from Naruto's skin, taking on the form of a fox as Mantoru no To-Remu activated. It changed almost immediately, becoming lighter in color and developing countless fine edges. Orochimaru's appreciation for the boy's talent grew, to work a wind recompositon of that scale whilst simultaneously maintaining a water jutsu. Yes, he'd have to make sure to recruit this boy. "Like you said Orochimaru, you underestimated me. Now you'll pay the price for it. Yugito-chan, let him have it."

"Right, Raiton: Raitama Endan!" Yugito extended an arm as she finished the seals, using her free hand to brace it. Multiple blasts of lightning shot from her palm, each one impacting the pool of water. The blast was immediately conducted by the water, exposing everything touching it to untold volts of electricity. Naruto was protected by the cloak of wind chakra around him, his dominant affinity shorting out Yugito's attack before it could reach him. Orochimaru had no such luck, unable to work any jutsu in the confines of the water prison he took the electricity full blast. Naruto's elation, however, was short lived as Orochimaru dissolved into a pile of mud.

"Damn," Naruto muttered, "he didn't underestimate us as much as I had hoped." His eyes widened as he sensed a sudden surge of chakra. He dove aside, a split second ahead of the giant snake that crashed into the spot where he had just been standing. He wasn't quite fast enough to escape the thrashing tail and got clipped along the side. He was launched into the cliffside, cutting deeply into it with his mantle of wind chakra. The snake paid for the blow as well, earning a bloody gouge on his tail where he had made contact. Naruto pulled himself out of the hole in the cliffside, "Yugito-chan, we need to take out that snake!"

"Yeah, lead off."

"Got it, Fuuton: Daitoppa!"

Yugito flashed through her own set of hand seals, finishing shortly after Naruto. "Katon: Karyuu Endan!" She spat out an intense stream of flames. It intersected with Naruto's blast of wind and expanded in a concussive blast of heat and flame. Orochimaru leapt clear. His snake, however, was unable to move quickly enough to evade the blast. It was forced to take the attack head on, and was reduced to ash and bone.

When the blast died down, Orochimaru saw that the two were nearing the end of another set of seals. An excited grin grew on his face, this could prove interesting. "Fuuton: Fuuryudan!"

"Katon: Karyuudan!" Coils of wind spun around Naruto, taking the form of an enormous dragon made of wind. At the same time, Yugito spat a similarly sized dragon made of fire. The two dragons shot off towards Orochimaru, no, over Orochimaru. His eyes widened, they had discovered his clone, and now the two attacks were bearing down on the branch that he was concealing his real self on. He was preparing to leap clear of the blow when the two attacks collided.

There was a sudden explosion of white hot flames, shooting outwards through the forest. Several hundred feet of trees were reduced to ash in an instant. The devastation, however, extended far beyond that. Many more trees were badly charred, some falling over as their bases were burned through. The entire area was black with ash. Fires were burning at the edges of zone of devestation, the only reason that they weren't burning throughout the entire area was because all of their fuel had been consumed with the initial blast.

Naruto and Yugito were both breathing hard. Those were powerful, chakra-intensive jutsus that the pair hadn't quite mastered yet. They took quite a toll, despite the immense stamina of the Araikis. "Think we got him Yugito-chan?"

"Kami I hope so."

Their hopes, however, were put to rest as they heard the freak's sick laughter ring out from behind them. "Ku ku ku, to think that you're already capable of attacks of that level. You two are skilled, geniuses, perhaps even more so than Sasuke-kun."

Naruto stared at the man with undisguised amazement, and even a hint of fear. "How did you avoid that attack? You were there when it hit, I'm sure of it. I could feel your chakra signature there."

"I can do many things that you couldn't even imagine. Someday, you might get to learn them."

That last statement earned him a pair of glowers as the Araikis processed the hidden meaning behind it. "You're dreaming if you think you can make us abandon Kumogakure."

"Ahh, but you haven't even seen what I have to offer yet." His neck suddenly lengthened, splitting into two as it went. Yugito and Naruto tried to leap aside; but Orochimaru was too fast, too persistent. His fangs sunk into each of them at the slope of the neck. Both gennin winced in pain, but much to Orochimaru's surprise were not overwhelmed by it. No one had been able to move while he was marking them with the curse seal. The Araikis, however, could. They both reached up and grabbed Orochimaru at the base of his skull.

"You got sloppy Orochimaru," pain was evident in Naruto's voice as he spoke, even if he didn't show it. "I thought you of all people would know to keep track of all your opponents." Naruto had the satisfaction of seeing Orochimaru's eyes widen with worry at that. Meitoku had finally fought off Orochimaru's killing intent and climbed to his feet. Normally, this wouldn't have even concerned Orochimaru. With his head immobilized and fifty feet away from his body, however, it had the potential to be a dangerous situation.

Meitoku had drawn the katana on his back, and it was crackling with electricity. He ducked under Orochimaru's clumsy swipe and stabbed forward, burying his sword into Orochimaru's body. Electricity exploded through Orochimaru's torso and limbs. But the sannin didn't flinch, even as his flesh charred due to the energy coursing through him. He swept his arm out in a backhand strike, using the sword he was impaled on as a guide. Meitoku, unable to react in time, was sent flying. Orochimaru grasped the katana's hilt and pulled, pleased to get that it of him, but he wasn't out of the woods yet. For, on some unspoken signal, both Naruto and Yugito struck.

Both of them took one hand from Orochimaru's skull, claws splayed wide. Naruto's claws became outline in wind-natured chakra, Yugito's erupted in electricity. Naruto cut cleanly through the neck that held him, but was disappointed when it simply withered into a snake. He had gotten the replica, it appeared. The neck holding Yugito jerked wildly, managing to tear free of the grip of the lone hand holding it. He was unable to fully evade Yugito's strike though. She drew three deep gashes in the side of his neck, and dosed him with another burst of electricity.

Orochimaru's neck snapped back to its normal length, giving him his first good view of the Araikis' wounds. Both were freely bleeding, and emitting a dark chakra into the air. He frowned, the chakra he injected into them should have gotten caught up in their natural chakra flow and been carried to the brain. Once there it would be able to solidify its influence on them. Something, however, seemed to be interfering with that.

Things had not gone how he had expected at all, especially when he considered his own wounds. They were nothing he couldn't deal with, of course. But he knew he'd have to deal with Anko before he left that forest, and she had a better idea of his capabilities than he had of hers. Not that he was worried about facing her, but he wanted to make sure he was ready for her. His current burned and bleeding state could hardly be considered as such. To top things off, their combined dragon blasts had been a massive attack. Something that was far beyond what would be expected of any of the gennin in the exams. It was sure to draw attention, which meant that someone was probably already on their way. As much as he regretted it, he was going to have to stop playing with the young Araikis, especially since his cursed seal wasn't working on them. If he was lucky he could still manage to sway them to his view. If not, at least he had managed to mark Sasuke. Either way, his trip into the forest had been fruitful.

"The two of you are simply full of surprises, quite delightful. I'm afraid I must cut our playtime short, but my offer to you still stands. I can give you more power than you can imagine, remember that." Then he was gone.

Meitoku groaned as he climbed to his feet. "I believe that his last attack may have broken a few of my ribs. How are the two of you faring?"

Yugito sat down at the base of a tree. A hand was clamped to her wound, which still had blood and chakra running from it freely. "We've been better. He tried to inject us with some sort of foreign chakra. Our system is fighting it, preventing it from gaining a foothold in our system. Apparently the foreign chakra is also being expelled from our systems. However, that seems to be interfering with our normal accelerated healing. We'll have to bandage these wounds."

"You've never needed to tend to superficial wounds before."

"I know, it's troubling."

Naruto unsealed a roll of bandages with a puff of smoke. "It's definitely because of that chakra he injected us with. I just wish I knew what it was. Next time I see an Oto-nin I'm going to beat it out of them." He gestured towards Yugito, "Here, I'll bandage that up for you."

"Yeah, sure." She deftly undid the ties of her top, letting it pool around her waist and leaving her torso clad only in her bra. "Go ahead."

"Umm, Yugito-chan…"

"What?"

"Well, due to the location of the puncture wound I'll need to wrap your bandages around your torso and under your other arm."

"So?"

"You're, umm, going to have to take your bra off. The strap's in the way."

"What!"

"The strap would get trapped underneath the bandage, it has to be moved." He gave the red-faced, sputtering Yugito an apologetic look. "You could cover them with your hands."

She glowered for a second before replying. "You," she pointed at Meitoku, "turn around now!" Meitoku didn't waste an instant. A somewhat irate Yugito turned around too, quickly unclasping her bra and covering herself with her hands as best she could.

Naruto began applying the bandages. "Hey, remember back at the Daimyo's Palace when you dropped in on me when I was in the onsen?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

Naruto smirked, "Karma's a bitch isn't?" Yugito dearly wished she had a free hand to smack her boyfriend with.

Anko was a blur moving through the Forest of Death. Trees flew by beneath her as a mixture of rage and worry churned at her insides. One of the Chuunin Proctors for the exams had shown her something about half an hour ago, a trio of dead Kusa-nin. What really caught her attention though was that one of them no longer had a face. It could only be his jutsu, Orochimaru's. She had no idea what he was doing here, but she doubted it was a social call. She had sent the chuunin to fetch the ANBU Black Ops, then headed into the Forest of Death herself. If she met up with her traitorous sensei, she decided, it would be an encounter that neither of them would walk away from.

Then she could feel it, his presence. It washed over her like an oily film. She stopped, drawing a kunai from her holster. "Show yourself, Orochimaru."

"Where are your manners Anko-chan?" She gripped her kunai tighter as he stepped out from behind the tree in front of her. "You haven't' seen your sensei for years and that's how you greet him? I taught you better than that."

"Manners, do you have any idea what I've gone through since you betrayed this village, since you gave me this mark! Not to mention the crimes you've committed against Konoha. What you've done can't be forgiven Orochimaru, and you'll die for it today!" Not wasting any more time she slung the kunai at him, only to growl in frustration as he caught it between his fingers.

"Now now Anko-chan," he said as he began sinking into the tree, "I don't have time to play with you at the moment. There are several, prospects, I've been testing in this forest. Besides, if I let you keep me here long enough for the ANBU to arrive I just might have to kill you."

"Like hell you're getting away bastard. Sen-eijashu!" She extended her arm as snakes shot forth from the sleeve of her trench coat, plunging into the tree and pulling Orochimaru towards her. She caught his hand as he was pulled in, forcing it into the same half-seal as hers.

"Using that jutsu Anko-chan, are you really that desperate?"

"Shut up you bastard. Now you pay for your crimes." She felt a sting on her wrist as the snakes in her sleeve bit both of them on the wrist. Just a little longer and they'd both have a lethal dose of poison in them. She might die, but at least she'd be able to take out the one who had wreaked so much havoc on her life. Then she felt a change in the texture of Orochimaru's hand, just before he dissolved into a pile of mud. She canceled the jutsu, but the battle was lost and she knew it.

Anko fell to her knees, her breath already coming hard because of the poison flowing through her system. She could barely move, couldn't even raise her head as she sensed her traitorous ex-sensei walking up to her. "You've improved quite a bit Anko-chan, you must be jounin level by now. It appears that my tutelage hasn't gone entirely to waste. You're still too soft though, unwilling to utilize all of your resources. The cursed seal I gave you can provide with power should you need it. I've wasted enough time on you now though, just give a message to the Hokage for me." He leaned down, and Anko could feel his warm breath on her ear. "Tell him that if he stops these exams I will destroy this village." Then he was gone in a swirl of leaves.

Team Four hadn't traveled far after their fight with Orochimaru. They had only moved far enough to find a decent hiding spot, then rested for the night. They departed the next day, making a beeline for the tower. Naruto was taking point when he came to a sudden halt. Yugito was forced to grab onto an overhead branch to avoid careening into him. She shot him an annoyed glare, "What was that for?"

"Cast about a bit Yugito-chan, see if you can find anything."

She closed her eyes and concentrated a bit before responding. "I can sense six chakra signatures in the distance."

"Yeah, three of them are that Konoha team we ran into along with those Suna-nin. The other three belong to those Oto-nin that made the scene at the start of the first exam. Orochimaru was wearing a hitaite from Otogakure when he attacked us. I think it's time to get some answers."

Yugito hesitated only an instant before responding. "Agreed, let's go."

They arrived at the battleground a few minutes later. Sakura was the only member of her team who was moving about. Sasuke and Sai were lying unconscious under some sort of cavern made of tree roots. There was something a bit off about Sasuke's chakra too. There was something else to it, a foul taint like the chakra that was still leaking from the wound on the Araikis' necks. The three Oto-nin were spread across the clearing, leaving Sakura with her back to her unconscious teammates. There was one more gennin present as well, a Konoha-nin with a bowl cut and green spandex. He was lying on the ground, bleeding from his ears.

Naruto edged over a bit and whispered to his teammates. "Meitoku, we need you to disable the right arm of that bandaged Oto-nin. He did something strange with it back before the first exam, probably something to do with that weird gauntlet he's wearing."

"I understand. Leave him to me."

"Yugito, do you want to take the kunoichi or that spiky-haired kid?"

"I'll take the kunoichi, see if she's up to my standards."

"I find that unlikely." He tapped his chakra for a second, calling upon Megurushi no To-Remu. "You ready Meitoku?"

"Yes."

"Good, lead us off. And remember, we want these guys alive." Meitoku nodded once, then flung a senbon coated in a sheen of electricity. The bandaged Oto-nin must have heard hit. He spun around, raising that gauntlet to deflect the senbon. It was probably the worst decision in that scenario. The electricity stored in the senbon discharged into the gauntlet, which conducted it straight through into the Oto-nin's arm. He fell back, his limp arm twitching at his side. A trio of blurs shot out of the bushes as Team Four moved to confront their targets.

Naruto's target barely managed to leap to the side as Naruto lunged at him. He was in trouble from the outset, retreating steadily with his weight on his heels. He had no effective counter to Naruto's barrage of taijutsu attacks, except one. As off balance as he was it was an act of desperation, but it was also his only shot. He raised a hand, lining a hole in his palm up with Naruto. "Zankūha!" The blast of pressurized air that shot from his hand blew him to the ground, but also obliterated everything in front of him. "Heh, that kid wasn't so tough after all. Only took me one shot."

He stiffened suddenly as a hand shining with blue-gray chakra placed a kunai at his throat. "Hardly, that attack's far too slow to hit me when Shitai no To-Remu is activated. I'd advise a surrender here."

Yugito had a similarly easy time of things. Her opponent rang a bell, and Yugito could feel the brushings of a genjutsu at the edges of her senses. She shook it off with ease, but remained still. That was apparently enough to make the girl think she had succeeded. She walked closer, still ringing the bell. "Too easy, so many ninja neglect training to counteract genjutsu."

Yugito waited patiently, knowing that her opponent would be within arm's length soon enough. When she was Yugito lashed out with a single knife-hand strike to the side of the neck. The sound kunoichi dropped without a sound.

Meitoku was standing in front of the lone remaining Oto-nin, eyeing the metal gauntlet warily. "He uses sound." Meitoku turned his head slightly, bringing the spandex-clad Konoha-nin into sight. "That gauntlet he wears produces sound that he uses to disrupt the balance of his opponents."

"What is the range of the effect?"

"I'm not certain. I fought him hand to hand."

"I see, thank you for the information. I'll handle things from here." Meitoku reached behind him and drew his katana. He was analyzing the situation in his head. The range on his opponent's attack was unknown. However, ranged attacks were likely to be blocked by that gauntlet. The metal-on-metal clang that would result would produce a more intense sound than most other scenarios, theoretically increasing the range and potency of his foe's attack. It would be better to finish this up close, taking care to keep the gauntlet clear of other objects. Thankfully, the right arm on which his opponent wore that gauntlet would not be functioning well for some time.

Meitoku charged, katana held out in front of him. The Oto-nin spun his body, his momentum bringing the gauntlet up in front of him. The placement was good, and would have resulted in a noisy parry of Meitoku's intended attack. Instead he sidestepped to the left, away from the gauntlet. The Oto-nin spun, attempting to keep his gauntlet interposed between himself and that sword. It was exactly what Meitoku had been expecting.

He dug his foot into the ground, reversing direction and throwing himself low. He passed under the gauntlet, feeling a brief moment of disorientation. But he had caught his opponent by surprise and he was unable to capitalize on his opportunity. Meitoku's katana flashed across in a spray of blood, severing the Oto-nin's hamstrings. He fell face first to the ground. Acting quickly he planted his hands on the ground to push himself upright, only to stop when he felt the tip of the katana press against the base of his skull. Meitoku looked around, noting that the other two Oto-nin were also defeated. "It's over."

"Yeah," Naruto motioned to some bushes off to the side of the clearing, "you guys can come out now." A nervous-looking Team Ten emerged from the bushes. Naruto flashed them a grin, "Been a while hasn't it?"

Shikamaru eyed him warily, "Are you going to attack us?"

"Nope." Naruto took some ninja wire out of his pouch and proceeded to bind his prisoner's hands together, making sure the openings in his palm faced into each other. "We have some other things to worry about right now. These guys here should be a good source of information for us."

"Information on what?"

"Ahh sorry, but a shinobi has to keep some secrets." Naruto finished binding his prisoner and turned to face the green-clad Konoha-nin on the ground. "I must admit though, I'm curious as to why you're here. I know you're not on their team."

"Yosh, I am Rock Lee and have promised to protect Sakura-chan with my life! Even were that not the case Sakura and her team are fellow Konoha-nin who were in danger. I could not just stand by and watch them get killed."

Naruto was a bit taken aback at the enthusiasm and energy in the boy's voice given his condition, but nodded approvingly. "That's a good outlook Lee, and sound judgment. Too many of the gennin here would let the circumstances of the exam overrule the camaraderie they should feel among gennin from the same village. It's good to see that…"

Naruto's sentence was cut off suddenly as spun around. A sudden blast of chakra poured through the clearing. It was dark and malevolent; reminiscent of the chakra that still leaked from his wounded shoulder only much more potent. Sasuke was standing now, covered in strange black markings and surrounded in a blazing field of purple and black chakra. "This power," he said while staring down at his hands, "it's amazing. I must test it." He raised his head, and his face twisted into a maniacal grin when he spotted Naruto. "Yes, you'll do perfectly."

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Ishiki no To-Remu: Translates to Senses of the Totem. User's eyes change to resemble that of their totem. Chakra will also outline the user's ears. This stage of To-Remu Yajuuki greatly enhances all five senses of its user.**

**Shitai no To-Remu: Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Chikara no To-Remu: Translates to Might of the Totem. This technique greatly increases the strength of its user.**

**Suiton Suirou no Jutsu: Translates to Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu.**

**Fuuton Daitoppa: Translates to Wind Release: Great Breathrough**

**Katon Karyuu Endan: Translates to Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Projectile.**

**Raiton Raitama Endan: Translates to Lightning Release: Lightning Bullet Barrage. This jutsu fires multiple blasts of electricity. It's most useful when attacking an area or multiple targets. Although it is also effective in electrifying water for a slightly prolonged period.**

**Katon Karyuudan: Translates to Fire Release: Fire Dragon Blast. A fire version of the Water Dragon Blast used by Zabuza and Kakashi.**

**Fuuton: Fuuryudan: Translates to Wind Release: Wind Dragon Blast. A wind version of the Water Dragon Blast used by Zabuza and Kakashi.**

**Zankūha: Translates to Decapitating Sound Wave.**

**Note from the Author: The fights may have seemed a bit short in this chapter. But really, that's how I see them happening. One party was overmatched, and sometimes ambushed, in each of the conflicts. Given the circumstances, it doesn't seem likely that any of the fights would have been prolonged. It's also been brought to my attention that I made a mistake in the last chapter by not having Naruto recognize Chouji. Yeah, I'll admit I screwed up there. I got a little too caught up with referring to the Konoha-nin by their clans. You'll also note that I only described the effects of some of the above jutsu. That's not a mistake, I just decided that you'd probably know the ones from the show already. Finally, I'd just like to tell you that the next chapter will probably be delayed a bit as I have some midterms coming up.**


	11. Chapter 10: True Purpose

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Sasuke rushed Naruto with, to what would seem to most gennin, incredible speed. Naruto would barely be able to match it, at least if his bloodline was inactive. But it was and he was able to avoid the Uchiha easily enough, he was still a bit concerned though. There were a few things he was worried about, okay two. The first was the power boost that Sasuke seemed to have gotten. He could sense the foul chakra he was emitting, something very similar to what Orochimaru had used to try to mark him. He also wanted to make sure that Sasuke didn't kill their prisoners before they could be questioned. "You know, this is rather ungrateful of you. We just saved your team from some attacking Oto-nin and you turn around and attack us."

"That means nothing to me. I have to test myself, test my power. I need to get stronger in order to beat him."

"You shouldn't seek strength for its own sake Uchiha, or for vengeance. That leads down a dangerous path."

"Shut up." Sasuke came forward again, throwing himself at Naruto with reckless abandon. Naruto's Megurushi no To-Remu was active, giving him an edge in speed. Sasuke seemed too caught up in that strange chakra to activate his own kekkai genkai, for which Naruto was grateful. The Sharingan would have helped even the playing field, though it probably wasn't enough to give Sasuke the edge.

Naruto caught Sasuke's fist as it flew in, then twisted and used it as leverage to throw Sasuke off to the side. "Calm down Uchiha, this isn't really the best time to fight."

Sasuke growled, and was about to charge anyways when a pair of arms wrapped around him from behind. "Sasuke-kun," Sakura's voice came out as an anguished cry. Indeed, she was crying into Sasuke's shoulder. "Stop it Sasuke-kun, what's happened to you?" That seemed to calm Sasuke down. He took several deep breaths, calming down noticeably. The marks on his face and arms changed color to a mixture of red and orange before receding to a mark on his neck. Naruto walked over carefully and looked down at Sasuke's neck where it was revealed by his shirt. He was able to see the last of the markings recede into a three-tomo mark on his shoulder.

"Orochimaru did that didn't he?"

Sakura looked at him warily, "How did you know that?"

Naruto pulled the shoulder of his gi aside, emphasizing the bandages wrapped around his neck and shoulder. "He tried to do the same thing to us, but it didn't mix well with our bloodline. We came here because we sensed the Oto-nins' chakra. Orochimaru was wearing a sound hitaite, so I'm hoping those three can give us some insight as to his motives." There was a sudden flare of killing intent as two more chakra signatures arrived on the scene. Naruto turned slowly, "Hello Neji, to what do I owe this pleasure."

Neji's eyes narrowed as he glared at Naruto, "What did you do to Lee."

"We," Naruto said while motioning to the rest of his team, "saved him from these Oto-nin. He's your teammate I take it."

"Yes," Neji's Byakugan activated, "but that doesn't change anything."

"Neji-kun," Lee seemed to have shaken off his disorientation as he appeared suddenly between Naruto and Neji, "attacking Naruto-kun right now would be most unyouthful, he just provided assistance to us against the Oto-nin."

"I don't care."'

"You should listen to your teammate Neji, he seems to have a better grasp of gratitude and camaraderie than you do. Besides, it doesn't appear like Lee would help you if you picked a fight right now. You'd be outnumbered."

The allusion to the practicality of the circumstance was the only thing that seemed to calm Neji down. "You're right it seems, it's still not the time for me to fight you. Lee, we're leaving."

Lee frowned slightly, "Of course Neji-kun." He turned to face Naruto and his team. "You'll have to excuse my teammate; he does not have the youthful fires that you and I share." With that, he leapt into the trees to follow his team.

Naruto looked at the lone remaining member of their team, a girl with her brown hair done up in buns. "What does he mean by youthful fires?"

She shook her head, "You don't want to know. I'm Tenten by the way, I have a feeling I'll see you again later in the exams Naruto." She waved brightly, then leapt off after her two teammates.

Naruto turned to glance at Team Ten. "How long do you three plan to wait before leaving?" Ino opened her mouth to reply but was cut off as Naruto spoke again. "Consider that more of a suggestion than a question."

Shikamaru nodded, "Let's go Ino."

"But,"

"Now." Ino hesitated a bit; Shikamaru's uncharacteristic forcefulness took her by surprise.

She pouted a bit, "Fine." Team Ten backed away and leapt off, Shikamaru keeping a wary eye on Naruto until they were gone.

Yugito looked over at Sai, "Do you plan on getting up or are you going to lie there all day?"

"You noticed I woke up."

"Yeah, a few minutes ago; right before I finished off my opponent." She gestured over to Sasuke, "What happened to him."

Sai's fake smile vanished, replaced by an expression of utmost seriousness. "Orochimaru happened. We were in the forest when we were hit by a powerful gust of wind. I suspect it was Fuuton: Daitoppa. I was separated from the rest of my team. By the time I made it back a Kusa-nin had cornered Sasuke and Sakura. He was emitting incredible amounts of killing intent; I was barely able to fight through it. I insulted Sasuke as I started fighting; it seemed to snap him out of it. We confronted Orochimaru together, but he was just playing with us. He seemed to be testing Sasuke. Eventually, he apparently decided that he had seen enough. He backhanded me, knocking me back into a tree. Before I lost consciousness I saw him extend his neck to bite Sasuke, which I assume is when he marked him. Then I blacked out, and came to just in time to see you defeat the Oto-nin."

Naruto paced back over to the bound Oto-nin as he activated his Mantoru no To-Remu in order to appear more menacing. "So he did use the same technique on Sasuke as he tried to use on us." He turned and fixed the Oto-nin with a menacing stare, "Now, let's see what these guys can tell us about it."

Half an hour later Naruto was standing over the corpses of three Oto-nin, wiping the blood from his claws. "Figures, they were just lackeys. Didn't know a thing about Orochimaru's plans beyond their orders."

Sakura was standing nearby, a look of horror on her face. "You killed them."

"I'm a shinobi, of course I killed them."

"But they were helpless."

"Remind me again of what their objective was?"

"To kill Sasuke-kun."

"Did they care that he was helpless?"

"Well, no."

"Exactly, they would have killed him in a heartbeat given the chance. Do you really think that you should so them mercy? Well, you shouldn't. But it's not because they would have murdered your teammate, although that should certainly add to your motivation. The willingness to kill in cold blood is necessary, in all shinobi. If you can't grasp that you may as well find another line of work." He paused for a second, his lips quirking up in a grim smile as he turned to face Sasuke. "You're planning to attack me aren't you?"

"It's every team for themselves out here, and Orochimaru burnt our scroll."

"And just after we saved your ass, you really are ungrateful aren't you?" Sasuke tensed at that but held himself in check, for now. "Arrogant too, seeing as how I was able to handle you easily enough while you were under the effects of that seal and I held back. But today's your lucky day I guess." Naruto held up an Earth Scroll that he had taken from the dead Oto-nin. "We have no need for this, and at the moment I want to get to that tower as quickly as possible. So I'm willing to offer you a deal. I give you this scroll and you don't do anything stupid until after I'm gone. Or you decline and I beat you to a bloody pulp, your call."

"If you're going to the tower that means you have both scrolls. There's no way I'm going to settle for one." Sasuke sprang forward, only to have his collar pull tight against his neck. Sai had grabbed him by the back of the shirt, causing Sasuke's lunge to result in him landing flat on his back.

"Swallow your pride for a change Dickless, he's offering us a good deal. How likely do you think it is for us to get a scroll without having to fight for it? Besides, he's right. You didn't even give him a hard time earlier." He turned to face Naruto, his fake smile reappearing on his face. "Please forgive my teammate's idiocy. Like I said earlier, he lets his pride get the better of him too often, likely to compensate for his tiny dick." Sasuke and Sakura both shot him dark glares for that statement, though he ignored both of them. "I would be happy to accept your offer."

Naruto tossed him the scroll. "Remind me to come to you if I ever have to deal with this team again." He left that as his parting statement, turning and leaping into the trees. His teammates followed him soon afterwards and they sped towards the tower. Yugito waited until they were well out of Team Seven's earshot before asking Naruto a question. "Naruto-kun, why did you give them that scroll? Sure we don't know the extent of Sai's prowess but with what we know of the other two it's highly unlikely that they could have beaten us."

"Yeah, we could've taken them. But Neji may still have been nearby and he'll take any chance he can to attack me. He's good too; you can see it in the way he moves. He'd probably give either of us difficulties. There's a distinct possibility that Sai could do the same. So I thought it would just be a fight best avoided."

"I guess you have a point."

"Of course I do." As the trees sped by to either side of them Yugito could be heard muttering something about smartasses.

Team Four reached the tower without further incident. Although the last mile or so was rather aggravating. They discovered more traps and ambushes in that small area than they had in the rest of the forest. They probably would have been caught in a few fights if it wasn't for Ishiki no To-Remu. Even so, it was a deeply trying time for the Araikis' patience. Meitoku just bore it with his usual stoicism.

It was with great relief that they finally walked up to the tower. They had made good time too, only taking about twenty-five hours to get there. They had to walk around the building briefly to find their door, then pushed it open and walked inside. Naruto pulled a pair of scrolls from his pouch as he walked into the room, tossing one to Yugito. He slid his thumb under the first roll of paper and glanced over to her, "We're at the tower so we can open these things now, ready?"

"Yeah." Both gennin took a moment to steady themselves before pulling the scrolls open. They had a glimpse of a seal pattern on the inside of the scrolls before everything became obscured by a thick cloud of smoke.

"There's an increasing amount of chakra being gathered." For perhaps the first time, Naruto noted a trace of worry in Meitoku's voice.

As the chakra signature grew more complete, however, Naruto relaxed. "Don't worry, looks like our sensei is paying us a visit."

Sure enough, the summoning ended with a brief burst that cleared the smoke from the area, revealing Akana standing in the middle of the room. "Hmm, took you guys a bit longer than I thought it would."

"Kaa-san, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, that. The scrolls are generally used to summon chuunin to meat with teams at the end of the second exam. But it's not uncommon for a foreign team's sensei to request to meet with their team instead."

"Oh," Naruto shifted slightly, causing his gi to ride a bit lower on his shoulder.

Akana's eyes narrowed, "Naruto, what happened in the forest that required you to wear bandages?"

"Well, we kind of had a run in with Orochimaru."

"What!" Akana was beside him in an instant, pulling the gi aside to get a look at the bandages underneath. "What the hell did that bastard to you? I swear, if he caused any long-term damage I'll-"

"Relax Kaa-san, he tried to do something but it didn't work."

Naruto's voice seemed to bring Akana back to her senses. She took a deep breath as she stepped back, calming herself down. "Tell me what happened."

"He attacked us shortly after we took out two teams of Ame-nin. He seemed to be playing with us, testing us. Anyway, after we tried to hit him with a combined Karyuudan and Fuuryuudan he seemed to have seen enough. Then he performed some sort of strange jutsu and bit us on the neck. It injected some sort of foreign chakra into us. I think it's intended to use chakra flow to spread throughout the body, which would explain why it didn't work right on us. But it's being expelled from our bodies slowly. Some of it's still present in the wound, apparently interfering with our own chakra and healing factor."

"So why did he leave?"

"Well, we attacked him when he bit us. I think he expected the attack to immobilize us. Since it didn't he was vulnerable. I severed the head biting me, but it turned out to be a fake. Yugito gave him a rather nasty gash on his neck. Meitoku had also adapted to Orochimaru's killing intent by then and stabbed him with a charged Katana. Orochimaru looked like hell, but it didn't seem to bother him much. Then he left, but not before offering to take Yugito-chan and me up as apprentices. We refused of course."

"Obviously, or you wouldn't be here. Now let me take a look at those wounds."

"We've already cleaned them Kaa-san, and you're not exactly a medic."

"No, I'm just a genjutsu mistress who specializes in altering the flow of chakra in others. What exactly did you say was giving you trouble again?"

"That foreign chakra."

"Exactly, now let me take a look." Naruto shrugged out of his gi, then removed the mesh shirt and bandages to grant Akana access to the wound. She laid her hand on it, and he felt a slight tingle as she examined his chakra system. "There's definitely some foreign chakra in their, nasty stuff too. It seems to be trying to move towards your brain, but it has all it can handle trying to avoid being swept out of your system. Give me a sec and don't resist." What followed was an odd sensation as Akana asserted a bit of control over his chakra flow. The tiny trickle of chakra leaking from his wound increased dramatically, the foul taint pouring forth for a few seconds. Akana removed her hand from the wound. "How's it feel now?"

"Great, I can already feel it starting to heal. Bleeding should be gone in no time and the wound won't last much longer."

"Good to know that genjutsu training is useful for more than creating illusions. Yugito, get over here. I'll get that stuff out of you next."

Naruto waited patiently until Akana was done tending to Yugito before asking his next question. "So, what comes next?"

"I'm not allowed to tell you too much, but you'll be staying here in this tower until the end of this exam. Rooms are on the fifth story. You have room number 503, seeing as how you're the third team to make it to the tower. One team from Suna and one from Konoha have made it already."

"Did the one from Suna have a red-haired kid with a gourd."

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Just a hunch, that's Sabaku no Gaara. He's a jinchuuriki and struck both myself and Yugito-chan as a bit dangerous, if less than sane. He's one to watch out for."

"There's no arguing that, his team beat the previous record by more than an hour. With luck you won't have to face him."

"Excuse me Akana-sensei," she directed her gaze to Meitoku, who had just spoken. "I would appreciate it if you could direct me to this tower's medical facility. Orochimaru broke three of my ribs, and while I can still function I would be most relieved to get them healed."

"Of course, the second floor is devoted to medical treatment. It's needed fairly often around here with all the hazards of this forest. Well, I need to go then. I should have a word with the officials about this incident with Orochimaru. See you later?" She waved goodbye whilst being enveloped in a crackle of electricity and was gone.

"I believe I'll report to the infirmary then. It will be nice to finally get my ribs healed."

"Okay, see you later then." Yugito turned to Naruto, what are you going to do. "Get to the room and relax a bit, sit on something soft. I'm still sore from those shots I took from Orochimaru."

Yugito sighed, "I might as well do the same then, there won't be anything else to do."

"Quit pouting, we've got four days with nothing that needs to be done. I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunities to amuse yourself."

"Yeah, but that won't make me any less bored now."

Naruto sighed as he started climbing the stairs, "Sometimes there's just no pleasing you."

"You know you love it." Naruto didn't even respond as he climbed up the stairs.

He was right, it was nice to sit down on a couch and just relax for a bit. Like he had said, he was still a bit sore from the beating Orochimaru gave him. And considering how he could heal from cuts within hours that really spoke to how hard the snake sannin could hit. In another day or so he figured he'd be completely recovered. His musings were cut short as he felt someone settle down on his stomach, which was probably the sorest part of his body. "Yugito-chan, you're sitting on me."

"Do you really think I hadn't noticed?"

"I was hoping it would get you to move."

"No such luck." She did shift her weight though, reclining to lie down on top of him and resting her head next to his on the armrest. She turned to face him, "Why do you think he chose us?"

Naruto's mind flashed back to their unpleasant encounter with Orochimaru. It was an issue he had already given some thought, so he had an answer ready. "He seemed to be looking to recruit us because of the potential we showed, but I bet there's more to it than that. As far as we know, the only other gennin he targeted was the Uchiha. So the possibility that he's after bloodlines has to be considered."

"Figures, if we're not hunted for our bijuu we're hunted for something else."

Naruto lapsed into silence for a long moment before replying, "Kaa-san told me something once. It was a long time ago, just after I learned of my kidnapping. She said that there are certain people who destiny clings to like a shroud, who will always seem to be at the center of the most important events of their time. They won't live an easy life, they won't be content with that. But they will _live_. They'll have days where they'll experience more in an hour than most people will in their lifetime. They'll live a life worthy of legend, a life that people dream of. And when all is said and done, they wouldn't want anything else."

"And she said that you were one of those people?"

"She stopped short of saying that outright, but I like to think we are. Even if we can't remember it well, we experienced more suffering in our first two years of life than anyone should ever have to go through. Now we're being groomed to found a clan and will likely end up with significant influence in Kumogakure. And besides, I know you wouldn't be content as an average person."

She tightened her grip on him, snuggling into his warmth. "Yeah."

"Wow, I'm impressed that you still remember that. I must have made an impression." Akana watched in amusement as Yugito leapt several feet into the air in shock. "Hey, that was even more impressive than back in the Daimyo's infirmary. You're a lot easier to sneak up on when you're preoccupied with my son."

Yugito landed in an undignified heap, and straightened herself out with a huff. "Haven't I told you not to do that?"

"Haven't I told you that that would ruin my fun?"

Yugito spun on her heel and poked Naruto in the chest, "You need to do something about this."

"Me, what am I supposed to do? And how did I get dragged into this anyway? All I wanted was a little peace and quiet so I could rest."

"If you'd convince her to leave us alone you would have had that."

"You didn't look like you were letting him rest when I walked in."

"Kaa-san, you're not helping."

"Wasn't trying to." Naruto groaned as he flopped back onto the couch. Akana seemed to take great pleasure in embarrassing and annoying both himself and Yugito from time to time. It didn't help matters that Yugito rose to the bait a little too easily. Sighing to himself, he discreetly formed a seal and shunshined into his room, leaving the two women to argue amongst themselves.

The remainder of the time allotted for the second exam passed rather uneventfully. Only two more teams came in, another team of rookie gennin from Konoha and Neji's team. Team Four passed most of their time with light sparring in the tower's training area. Naruto noticed two people that seemed to be keeping a close eye on him. One was, predictably, Neji. He wasn't shy about it either, standing in plain view while Naruto trained and staring at him with that same baleful glare. It was looking like a fight with him was inevitable. The young Hyuga would be in for a nasty surprise when that happened. The other was Gaara. He was a lot more subtle, usually concealing himself well. Naruto doubted that most gennin would have been able to sense his presence. As it was, Naruto was quickly reaching the conclusion that Gaara was a bit unstable. He was bloodthirsty too, it seemed to radiate off the young gennin and was what clued Naruto in to his presence more often than not. He was beginning to wonder how many more fights he had in store before he departed for Kumo.

A Konoha chuunin found them about half an hour before the second exam was set to end. He brought them to a large room on the ground floor of the tower. There was a balcony ringing the room and a sculpture of two hands in a seal protruding from the wall. It was the people within the room, however, that caught Naruto's attention. Most notably was Konoha's Sandaime Hokage, but there were several other notable shinobi as well. Ibiki was present once more. As was the spandex-clad Maito Gai, who was one of the few Konoha-nin to achieve the same level of renown as Kakashi. There was also Sarutobi Asuma, the Sandaime's son. The last jounin of note Naruto observed was Baki, a Suna jounin of some fame.

Several other gennin teams were present as well. All of those who had reached the tower were arrayed across the floor of the room. Two additional teams had made it, Konoha's Team Seven as well as a team full of older Konoha-nin. Judging from the door they entered they had only just made it in from the Forest of Death. Naruto noticed that two more jounin arrived as well. One of them was unfamiliar to Naruto, the other was Kakashi. The copy-nin wasted little time in burying his nose into an orange book, seemingly oblivious to whatever Gai started talking to him about.

"Hokage-sama," Naruto was snapped out of his reverie as he turned to see Anko speaking, "The Second Exam is officially over. Of the twenty-one teams that entered the forest these seven have passed. I was hoping to cut the number of contestants down to single digits, but oh well."

"Very well Anko." The Sandaime turned to face the assembled gennin. "Now, it is time for me to explain to you the true purpose of this exam. The most obvious reason for these exams is to give gennin a chance to earn a promotion to the rank of chuunin. Another purpose is to foster friendship between villages. But the true purpose of these exams is to serve as a replacement for war amongst the various nations."

"Replacement for war," Naruto turned to see Tenten speaking, "what do you mean?"

"In the past, the various Elemental Nations were all at war with each other. Villages that are now allies fought against each other to vie for supremacy. But war is a tragic event, and the villages sought to end it. They reached a peace agreement eventually but the villages remained competitive, and began sending groups of shinobi to compete against each other. This became the forerunner of the Chuunin Exams, where shinobi risked their lives for the prestige of their country."

"Why should we have to risk our lives for that! I thought we were here to become Chuunin." The Inuzuka was unable to restrain an outburst, again.

The Sandaime inhaled deeply from his pipe and blew out a mouthful of smoke before replying. "Yes, this exam does decide who is worthy of advancing to the rank of chuunin. But there is more to it than that. The final exam is viewed by many important dignitaries including Daimyos and the leaders of your villages. This exam is important for them in deciding which villages to give their missions to. If a village appears strong in the exam it will experience an increase in missions. If it appears weak, it will lose missions as they go to other villages."

"But that still doesn't explain why we have to fight to the death," it seemed that the Inuzuka was incapable of keeping his mouth shut.

"Because the strength of a village is the strength of its shinobi. And the true strength of shinobi is only evident in battles where their life is on the line. You have to remember, this isn't just a fight to determine if you'll become a shinobi. This is a fight to the death, with your dreams and the honor of your village on the line." He paused for a second, surveying the room. None of the assembled gennin spoke. "It seems that you understand. Very well, I will now explain to you what will be happening in the Final Exam."

He was cut short as a jounin landed in front of him in a bow. "Excuse me Hokage-same but I, Gekkou Hayate and Proctor of the Third Exam would like to address them."

"Very well, proceed Hayate."

"Thank you Hokage-sama." He turned to face the gennin, giving them a view of his pallid complexion and the bags under his eyes. He looked deathly ill, an appearance only enhanced by the occasional cough he gave. "My name is Gekkou Hayate and I'm the proctor of the third and final Stage of the Chuunin Exams. Before the Final Exam begins I must hold preliminary round to see who advances."

"Preliminary round, why do we need that?" To Naruto's surprise, that outburst came from Shikamaru.

"Because the first two stages might have been too easy this year, too many of you have passed the first two exams. As Hokage-sama mentioned earlier, many important dignitaries attend the finals of the Chuunin Exam. That means the amount of time we have to complete the finals is limited. We also need to ensure that only the very best are left to compete. This isn't my decision, the rules state that if more than twelve shinobi remain after the second exam a preliminary round must be held."

Meitoku, as usual, asked the pertinent question. "What does the preliminary round consist of?"

Hayate coughed a bit before replying. "The Preliminary Round will consist of a series of single elimination fights. You will be randomly assigned an opponent, so you may find yourself fighting against members of your own village or even your own team. Once the fight begins you are free to use whatever methods and however much force you desire. Killing your opponent is allowed, albeit discouraged. Before the preliminaries begin I would like to ask if anybody would like to withdraw. The Second Exam is taxing, and if you are still nursing injuries from it may be a good idea to withdraw instead of fighting to the death."

There was a long silence until, "I withdraw." Naruto recognized the speaker, the silver-haired Konoha-nin who had been attacked by the Oto-nin shortly before the exams begin.

"Very well, I have to ask you to leave the room."

"Kabuto-san," it was Sai speaking now, "why are you withdrawing from the exam? You seemed to be in good shape during that battle with those Ame-nin."

Kabuto grinned ruefully, "My body hasn't recovered from that fight yet, I'm pretty beat up. Besides, my left ear is still suffering from the attack that Oto-nin threw at me before the exams. I'm sorry Sai, but I don't feel think I should continue." With that, Kabuto left the room. A large monitor descended from the ceiling and came to rest alongside the wall. Various names flashed across the screen, eventually coming to rest with the words Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akado Yoroi.

"The first match will be between Uchiha Sasuke and Akado Yoroi. Will everyone else please clear the floor." The shinobi moved to climb the stairs that lead to the balcony encircling the room. Team Four stood apart a little ways.

"It's odd," mused Akana, "I've never seen someone pull out early once in all the exams I've been to. That kid must have been hurt pretty bad."

"No," said Naruto, "he was lying."

"What makes you say that?"

"His response to Sai's question. He said that he was still suffering from that Oto-nin's attack. But we fought him in the forest. He utilized sound to attack the inner ear. If Kabuto was still being affected by that attack his balance would have been shot, and he was moving too well for that. Sai must have suspected something, probably why he asked the question."

"If he's not injured, what reason could he possibly have for withdrawing from the exams early?"

"That, is a very good question." Their discussion was cut short as they heard Hayate begin the match. Yoroi rushed Sasuke who, oddly enough, didn't activate his Sharingan. That didn't stop him however, from bringing his opponent to the ground with a textbook takedown. The follow-up hold was just as perfect, completely immobilizing Yoroi. He didn't seem overly concerned by that fact though, especially when a visible blue glow surrounded his hands. Sasuke leapt to his feet leaping backwards to place some distance between himself and his foe.

"My chakra."

"So you noticed. It's my special attack, I can drain chakra with a touch. You don't stand a chance against me in close-combat." Yoroi rushed Sasuke, loosing a barrage of attacks. The young Uchiha was forced to retreat freely, giving him the time he needed to frantically dodge Yoroi's touch. Naruto's eyes narrowed, the Uchiha clan had been famed for their fire jutsus. Sasuke must have known some, so why didn't he use them to start ranged combat with an opponent who was so dangerous in close-quarter combat.

Then Sasuke surprised him. He dropped to the ground and kicked upwards with a move that seemed inconsistent with what Naruto had seen of the Uchiha's taijutsu, granted that was rather limited knowledge. The kick came with a sudden burst of speed and Yoroi was unable to avoid it. The blow caught him under the chin, launching him into the air. Sasuke leapt up from the ground appearing directly underneath Yoroi. "It's over." Then Sasuke froze up. Naruto noticed the sudden tenseness in the boy's shoulder. Sasuke was apparently feeling intense pain at that spot, likely a result of the curse seal. He froze up for a second, and it looked like he was going to miss his window of opportunity. But it was only for a second, then the last Uchiha burst into action.

He twisted his body around, driving a kick towards Yoroi's side. It was blocked easily, but Sasuke just used it to increase his momentum as he spun the other way. His punch hit Yoroi solidly in the chest, knocking him back towards the ground. Sasuke fell with him, subjecting the boy to a brutal series of midair kicks. It ended with him burying his foot into Yoroi's stomach at the same moment the older gennin hit the floor with enough force to crack the tiles. Yoroi coughed up blood, then lay very still.

"The winner of the first match, Uchiha Sasuke."

"He won even with the handicap."

Akana turned towards her son, "What handicap."

"You know how I told you that Orochimaru tried to mark us with a cursed seal. He did mark Sasuke with it, on his shoulder. Coincidentally, his shoulder seemed to provide him with some severe pain at the end of his match. The seal must have been hindering him, which could explain why Sasuke didn't use any jutsu or his Sharingan."

"He tried to tempt you to join him by branding you with a cursed seal that limits your power?"

"It can provide a power boost as well, a pretty impressive one. He awoke shortly after we found him in the Forest of Death, covered in symbols and purple chakra. His power increased significantly, but he appeared unstable. He showed even less restraint than he had in the past, and attacked me until his teammate managed to calm him down."

"Naruto," Yugito's voice projected a bit of worry, something that got both their attention immediately. "The participants for the next match have been determined."

Naruto turned to the board. It read Hyuga Neji vs. Gifu Meitoku.

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Ishiki no To-Remu: Translates to Senses of the Totem. User's eyes change to resemble that of their totem. Chakra will also outline the user's ears. This stage of To-Remu Yajuuki greatly enhances all five senses of its user.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Fuuton Daitoppa: Translates to Wind Release: Great Breathrough**

**Katon Karyuudan: Translates to Fire Release: Fire Dragon Blast. A fire version of the Water Dragon Blast used by Zabuza and Kakashi.**

**Fuuton: Fuuryudan: Translates to Wind Release: Wind Dragon Blast. A wind version of the Water Dragon Blast used by Zabuza and Kakashi.**


	12. Chapter 11: A Reason to Fight

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

"Naruto," Yugito's voice projected a bit of worry, something that got the attention of both her boyfriend and sensei immediately. "The participants for the next match have been determined."

Naruto turned to the board. It read Hyuga Neji vs. Gifu Meitoku. He grimaced, this had the potential to get ugly.

"Akana turned to look at her students. What are the three of you so concerned about? You knew that you'd all have to fight eventually."

"Of course we knew that, but this is a matchup best avoided."

"Explain."

"I may not have seen him fight, but Neji would appear to be a rather skilled opponent judging by the way he moves. He's graceful, always in perfect balance, tight control of his chakra; all traits you'd expect from one who excels in Jyuken. He seems to bear me a bit of a grudge too, and I think he'll take any chance he can to try and get back at me."

"What did you do to him?"

"Me, I didn't do anything. He is, however, the son of Hyuga Hizashi."

"Oh."

Naruto glanced at Meitoku with a hint of concern in his eyes. "Be careful down there, this is about as dangerous a fight as any of us could have gotten here."

"I concur. I will attempt to keep him at a distance."

"Good luck."

"Thank you." Meitoku leapt down from the balcony, landing across from Neji. His hand wandered towards his weapons pouch as Hayate's rose into the air, preparing to start the match.

"Begin!" Both Hayate and Meitoku leapt back. Hayate was getting out of the way. Meitoku was putting some distance between himself and his dangerous opponent. A pair of kunai were in Meitoku's hand in an instant. They didn't hinder him in the slightest as he flashed through a set of hand seals and threw them at Neji.

"Raiton: Dendou Jiten!" An arc of lightning flashed into existence, connecting the kunai as they began spinning in a circle. The veins around Neji's eyes bulged, a tell-tale sign that he had activated his Byakugan. He thrust two fingers forward, forming a chakra spike that cleanly severed the arc of electricity connecting the two kunai.

An arrogant smirk spread across Neji's face. "You're going to have to do better than that."

"A shinobi never shows all of his tricks with the first strike." Even as he spoke Meitoku brought up his fist, four senbon crackling with electricity held between his fingers. "These won't be stopped so easily." He threw the senbon, along with the four held in his other fist. The eight projectiles spread slightly in mid-air, forming a pattern designed to make it difficult for someone to get out of the way.

Neji briefly considered his options. Blocking the senbon with a handheld kunai would be ill-advised; his own metallic weapons would just conduct the electrical charge. Nor did he want to deplete his own, significantly smaller, inventory of projectiles by deflecting the senbon in mid-air. He regarded the senbon briefly. They had been well-thrown, well-placed. It wouldn't be easy to dodge them, but he wasn't considered a genius for nothing.

He threw himself forward. Twisting, contorting, and somehow managing to avoid every one of the senbon. He even managed to come out of his dodge in perfect balance. He rushed towards his opponent, trying to get within range of his jyuken and end it. Meitoku however, was as careful as always. His katana was out in a flash, and Neji was forced to pull up short or be spitted. "That sword can't save you. Jyuken may be a form of hand to hand combat, but you know that their have to be forms meant for fighting armed opponents. Besides, fate has already decreed that you'll lose to me. It has given me this as the first step towards my vengeance."

"Your steadfast belief in something as intangible as fate is foolish. No shinobi should ever view any victory as assured. It leads to complacency, which leads to defeat." Neji's only response was to narrow his eyes in irritation and dart out to the side, trying to catch Meitoku off guard. The young gennin from Kumo was too wary to be surprised like that though. A sidestep and a flourish brought his blade up and forced Neji to pull up short again. Then he was forced to retreat as Meitoku stepped into a brutal slash. "You seem unwilling to attempt to parry with a kunai."

"You've already proved capable of electrifying your weapons; I'm not going to fall for a trick I've already seen."

"So be it." Meitoku strode forward in a steady advance, his flashing blade forcing Neji to keep his distance. Neji had no practical recourse but to retreat steadily. He was waiting for Meitoku to make a mistake that would allow him to get close, but it didn't seem to be coming. He was going to have to make his own opening if he was going to get an attack off.

Neji fell back in front of the next strike, entering a backwards tumble. His hands shot towards the holster on his hip and he threw a kunai the moment he regained his feet. The kunai was aimed towards the lower left corner of Meitoku's torso, and he had no trouble bringing his katana down and batting the projectile aside in a one-handed parry. It was exactly the move Neji had been expecting. He darted forward, aiming for Meitoku's open right side. He almost made it.

Meitoku's free hand flashed down to one of the kodachi at his hip and drew it, twisting to bring the blade in line with Neji's strike. Neji recoiled, a thin line of blood evident on his hand. "I would appear to have drawn first blood."

"First blood rarely decides a fight." Neji grimaced slightly, he had been hoping not to have to resort to this. He darted forward as he finished speaking. He spun to the side, avoiding a swipe of the kodachi. Then twisted desperately and threw his torso down low to avoid the katana. He was unable to dodge completely and took a gash across his ribs. But now he was close enough to retaliate.

His hands lashed out. He landed three blows on Meitoku's left leg and another four on his left arm before leaping back. Meitoku grimaced as his arm dropped limply to his side. His leg wasn't moving too well either, it was only by shifting most of his weight over to his other leg that he was able to remain standing. He did remain on his feet though, and swiveled to place his kodachi between himself and Neji.

Neji smirked, "Futile. Fate has already spoken, you've lost." He darted in again preparing to end it.

Naruto sighed from his position on the balcony. "I hate to admit it," he said as Neji sidestepped a slash of Meitoku's kodachi, "but Neji's right. He has half a dozen different openings that he could use to knock Meitoku unconscious." Neji passed on all those openings though, opting instead to slam two open palms into Meitoku's chest. "Naruto leaned forward, his bloodline activating in response to his anger. Neji, it appeared, wasn't done yet. His first attack had sent Meitoku flying and Neji was dashing after him. Meitoku wasn't likely to survive a follow-up strike.

The Araikis, having a better understanding of Neji's hatred for Naruto, were able to foresee this a bit better than the jounin present and actually moved before any of them. Shitai no To-Remu was active in a flash and Lee was the only gennin present who was even able to track the pair as they shot down towards the arena floor. Naruto made it there a fraction of a second before Yugito, parrying Neji's strike and getting a firm grasp on his wrist. Yugito appeared a beat behind him, grabbing Meitoku and leaping clear. Neji snarled and brought is other hand around, aiming to incapacitate Naruto before he could put up a defense.

That was when the jounin arrived. Kakashi's hand clamped down on the wrist of Neji's free arm. Gai appeared on Neji's other side, holding his forearm near the elbow in case he should manage to break free from Naruto's grasp. Hayate appeared behind Neji, restraining the boy with a full-nelson. Akana appeared next to Meitoku, checking on her injured student as she saw that the situation with Neji was well in hand. "Neji," Gai's voice was tight with disapproval, "you told me that you could control yourself."

For all the attention the two gennin paid him Gai might as well have remained silent. Naruto was glaring at Neji, the simmering rage in his eyes easily a match for the calm hatred present in those of the Hyuga. "You bastard, you were trying to kill him."

"It is permitted according to the rules of the exam."

"It wasn't necessary! Are you so caught up in something that happened ten years ago that you'll kill because of it? Meitoku wasn't even involved in that at all. He only became my teammate after we graduated."

"He was guilty by association."

"You're a shinobi, not a judge and definitely not some damn agent of fate. I can see why you bear me a grudge even if I don't agree with it, and I could have forgiven you for that. But now, you're going down Hyuga."

"Enough," a slight cough accompanied Hayate's words, "we're in the middle of an exam so you two will need to calm down. Return to the balcony so we can continue the matches."

Naruto relinquished his grip, roughly shoving Neji's arm away from him. "This isn't over." He turned and leapt to the stands, leaving a smirking Neji to do the same as soon as the jounin released him. Naruto saw a team of medics take Meitoku out of the room on a stretcher as he landed, and the other two members of his team alighted next to him soon after. "How is he?"

Akana sighed, "From what I could tell he suffered extensive damage to his lungs, minor damage to the heart, and has several cracked ribs. It's a good thing that Neji was restrained, if he had gotten that follow-up strike in it would likely have been instantly fatal."

"It's a good thing for Neji too. Had he killed Meitoku I'd kill him when we get to fight. As it is I'm just going to give him the beating of a lifetime." Yugito nodded in silent agreement as the next two combatants made their way down to the arena floor. Gaara was on the floor across from a very nervous-looking Sakura. What ensued couldn't rightly be called a fight. Sakura panicked and surrendered as soon as Gaara started surrounding her with sand. He let her go, and it was only because Naruto hadn't yet deactivated his Megurushi no To-Remu that he caught the Jinchuuriki muttering about unworthy blood. The whole sorry excuse for a fight lasted about two seconds.

Hayate sighed and looked back up to the screen. "Yamanaka Ino and Sai, report down to the arena floor." This was another lopsided fight, though Ino was able to put up a much better fight then Sakura. The duo started out with a taijutsu fight. It quickly became apparent that Sai's taijutsu was far superior to Ino's. He proceeded to systematically pick her apart while maintaining that fake smile the whole time, even when his kunai strike severed the girl's ponytail after a near miss. Ino leapt back after that creating distance between them as Sai pulled out a scroll.

She landed with a triumphant grin on her face. "Ha, I've infused my chakra with the strands of hair on the ground. As long as I hold the technique you can't move, which means you're easy pickings for my Shintensen."

Sai finished scribbling something across the scroll as Ino finished speaking. "You talk too much, shouldn't have given me that much time." As he spoke, a series of beasts that appeared to be made of ink leapt forth from the scroll. Ino hesitated for an instant, reluctant to release Sai. It was an instant too long. The beasts buried her where she stood in a savage-looking dog pile. They leapt away seconds later, leaving Ino lying unconscious on the ground. Sai held the beasts until Hayate called the match, then let them dissolve into puddles of ink.

Yugito's name came up for the next fight, her opponent was Misumi Tsurugi. Naruto gave her a peck on the cheek before she made her down to the fight. "For luck," he whispered. She flashed him a grin as she leapt down to the arena floor. After landing, she eyed the purple-clad Konoha-nin in front of her. He was the sole remaining member of his team after one member had been defeated and the other had resigned.

Hayate glanced at the two gennin, making sure they were ready. "Begin!" Tsurugi didn't waste any time, charging forward and launching a roundhouse punch at the side of Yugito's head. Yugito saw the attack coming easily. She raised her arm in a block, stopping the attack before it got close to her. "You're taijutsu's horrible, that was one of the most transparent strikes I've ever seen."

"I wanted you to block." At that Tsurugi's body bent and flowed, coiling around Yugito's arm and wrapping securely around Yugito. "This is my special ability. I can dislocate every joint in my body to give me unmatched flexibility and then use chakra to control myself. I'll give you one chance to surrender before I break your neck."

Up on the balcony Naruto sighed, "Looks like Yugito got an easy one."

Shikamaru was close enough to overhear. "What do you mean? Tsurugi could break her neck at a moment's notice. How can that possibly be an easy match?"

He felt a stab of unease as Naruto flashed him a distinctly feral grin, "I thought you of all people would know how hard it is to contain us. Sit back and watch, Akana-sensei is the only one here who's seen all or our tricks."

If Yugito was worried at all she didn't show it. "You know," she said as Mantoru no To-Remu activated, "you're kind of invading my personal space. Naruto-kun's the only one I allow to hold me like this, though he's not quite as flexible as you are. What fun we could have if he was."

"I'm in no mood to listen to you complain about your dignity, drop the chakra before I kill you."

"No, I don't think I will. I'm going to show you why nobody with a grain of sense gropes kunoichi." Tsurugi growled and twisted his body to snap her neck, or at least he tried to. In the blink of an eye Yugito's Mantoru no To-Remu was recomposed into lightning chakra. The electrical energy flooded into Tsurugi. His muscles locked into place, except for the occasional spasms. Yugito held the lightning chakra for a while, making sure he was unconscious before stopping. When she did, Tsurugi fell to the floor. He resembled nothing more than a boneless, smoking puddle of flesh. "Winner, Araiki Yugito."

She sauntered back up the balcony, by the time she arrived she noticed Naruto trying to stifle his laughter. She arched an eyebrow, "What's so funny?" He pointed down to the arena. The medics weren't having much success moving Tsurugi. Their cot was a bit too narrow, and they couldn't seem to prevent a piece of him from sticking over the edge. Of course when that happened more and more of his body started flowing over the edge of the stretcher, until eventually he was just a puddle on the floor again. One of the medics eventually used a Doton jutsu to make a bowl of rock that they, scooped, Tsurugi into. By that time Naruto was laughing out loud.

Yugito stifled her own laughter as she leaned against Naruto's back and draped her arms over his shoulder. She rested her chin right next to one of her arms and spoke into his ear. "Impressed?"

"I'm not sure," the playful quality to Naruto's voice was hard to miss, "you did fall right into his trap, letting him ensnare you like that. You just got lucky that you were able to counteract it."

She snorted, "It's nice to have such a supporting boyfriend."

"But I'd be so boring if I just agreed with everything you said."

"True enough, now let's see if the next fight is a bit more interesting." Naruto glanced towards the board. The next match was between Nara Shikamaru and Hyuga Hinata. He heard Yugito whisper into his ear again, "What do you think about this match?"

"The Hyuga's in trouble. Unless she's really good, even better than Neji, she has to be really close to use her Jyuken. So in order to attack him she has to get within range of his Kagemane no Jutsu. He's a brilliant strategist too; he could probably surpass his father in that regard. Unless Hinata has something big hidden up her sleeve she's in trouble."

Hinata activated her Byakugan as soon as the match began, but kept her distance. It was obvious that she was concerned about the Kagemane no Jutsu, which Shikamaru had just activated. He sighed, "You're keeping your distance, troublesome." His shadow lashed out, lengthening as it sped towards the young Hyuga. Hinata leapt back, avoiding the tendril of shadow. She was forced to dodge to the side as soon as she landed when the tendril of shadow lashed out again.

This went on for perhaps a minute, Hinata frantically avoiding Shikamaru's questing shadow. "I wonder how much longer he can keep this up," Yugito murmured, "That jutsu is supposed to be fairly chakra-intensive."

"He doesn't need to keep this up for much longer. He's been herding her; she's getting close to the wall."

"So?"

"Sorry, I forgot you weren't with us when we fought him earlier. He can use other shadows to lengthen his reach. Not to mention that if he sends his shadow into another shadow at one point he can have it exit at a different location. So once he gets her close enough to the shadow of the balcony…"

"It'll be over."

"Exactly." Down in the arena, Naruto's words proved true. Hinata had her attention fixed on Shikamaru and his shadow, watching it carefully so she could dodge it. One tendril flashed past her as she dodged aside, merging with the shadow of the balcony. Her Byakugan caught sight of the shadow that exited the shadows behind her, but it caught her off guard. She was unable to dodge in time, and she was finally caught.

"Kagemane no Jutsu success. Give up Hinata, its over."

"N-no, I need to ch-change. I won't give up, not anymore."

"Fine then. For what it's worth I'm sorry about this." Shikamaru turned around lower his head. Then he charged at full speed, and he was a lot farther away from the wall than Hinata was. He released the jutsu just before impact, letting Hinata smack loudly into the wall. Several of the assembled shinobi winced unconsciously at the sound. Hayate gave her a brief examination and called the match in Shikamaru's favor before motioning a crimson-eyed woman down from the balcony, presumably Hinata's sensei.

"She just has a mild concussion. Take her back up to the balcony, she'll be fine." The woman nodded and scooped Hinata into her arms before returning to the balcony." He looked up at the screen, waiting for the names of the next two contestants. "Akimichi Chouji and Aburame Shino, you're up next."

Chouji puffed up immediately at the beginning of the match, resorting to his Nikutanku no Jutsu. Shino leapt away from Chouji, who was herding his opponent towards the wall just as his teammate had done. It didn't work quite so well for him though. Shino leapt up as Chouji barreled in, adhering himself to the wall with chakra. He drove a pair of kunai into the wall as Chouji slammed into it, creating a sizable crater. Shino leapt down, trailing a pair of wires that he had tied to the loops of the kunai. He drove two more kunai into the ground when he landed, firmly anchoring the wires and holding Chouji in place.

With his lack of momentum, Chouji was unable to pull himself free of the wall in his ball-like form. This wouldn't normally have been a problem as he could merely shrink and then resume his larger size, but Shino didn't give him enough time for that. A swarm of kikai bugs crawled from his sleeves and covered the young Akimichi. It didn't take long for the young shinobi to collapse to the ground from chakra exhaustion. "Winner, Aburame Shino." Asuma came down to help Chouji off the arena floor while the board shuffled through the remaining names. "The next match will be between Tenten and Temari."

The two kunoichi both climbed down to the floor and Hayate started the match. Tenten immediately leapt back and threw a trio of senbon at the Suna-nin. They clattered harmlessly to the ground. Naruto's eyes narrowed. Temari had brought that large object off her back and swung it in front of her. The speed with which she had done it was incredible, and spoke to long hours of practice. What was even more impressive was that she had created a gust of wind to block the senbon using just the disturbance in the air that the object made, that type of wind manipulation would make a lot of chuunin jealous. If Tenten didn't resort to close combat she was going to literally be blown away.

Tenten's next attack was to pull forth a scroll and sent a barraged of summoned weapons at Temari. The Suna-kunoichi actually cracked open the object on her back, which turned out to be a fan, with her next swing. The projectiles fell to the ground once more. This time Temari held her fan by her side, showing two purple circles painted on the partially-opened weapon. "See these moons; my fan has four of them. When I reveal all of them this fight is over."

Tenten's only response was two leap up into the air, trailing two scrolls behind her. She pulled a truly astonishing amount of weapons out of the scroll, flinging them all at Temari. They were, of course, deflected with a swing of the fan. Now three moons were revealed. Tenten pulled her hand back, pulling on the ninja wire she had attached to all of the weapons she had just thrown. She sent them back at Temari. The Wind Mistress predictably deflected them all with another swing of her fan. All four moons of the fan were now revealed. Temari pulled her fan back and swung. A whirlwind sped across the arena, enveloping Tenten and inflicting several nasty gashes on the young kunoichi. Temari held the attack for a while before letting Tenten fall unconscious to the ground. "Winner, Sabaku no Temari."

Naruto turned to watch the screen as the medics came to carry Tenten off the arena floor. He was rewarded by seeing his name come up, along with Inuzuka Kiba's. "Finally, I was getting sick of mmph!" He was abruptly cut off as Yugito grabbed him by the collar and yanked him down into a rather passionate kiss. She went on for several seconds before breaking it off. "Umm Yugito, not that I'm complaining but…"

"Your good-luck kiss seemed t work," she said in response to the unasked question, "so I thought I'd return the favor."

"Ahh, thanks."

"You're welcome, now get down their and kick his ass."

"If you say so Yugito-chan."

"You know," said Akana, "whenever I've wished you luck you just say you don't need it."

Naruto paused and smirked, "It's all in the presentation Kaa-san." Then he leapt down to the arena where Hayate and Kiba were waiting.

Hayate coughed into his hand, "Are both contestants ready?" He received an affirmative nod from both gennin, "Very well. Begin!"

Kiba immediately flashed through a series of hand seals, "Shikyaku no Jutsu!" His nails lengthened into claws while his teeth lengthened to fangs, giving him a more feral and animalistic appearance. He dropped down on all fours and tensed, preparing to counter Naruto's charge. Except Naruto hadn't moved.

"Interesting, the Inuzuka clan's Shikyaku no Jutsu. Emulating the dog you brought down with you while increasing speed, strength, and sense of smell. Reportedly very similar to the first stage of my bloodline actually, and that stance seems a bit reminiscent of our own taijutsu style." He grinned as Megurushi no To-Remu appeared on his skin. "This could be interesting."

Kiba, by this time, had heard enough and launched himself forward with a growl. He covered the distance with remarkable speed, for a gennin, and aimed a powerful punch at his opponents face. Naruto waited until the last moment before pitching himself forward and placing a hand on the ground to maintain his balance. He dug his claws into the ground, gaining enough traction to remain rooted in place when Kiba barreled into him. And as much as he tried to avoid it, Kiba did just that. Naruto had timed it too perfectly and moved too quickly for Kiba to react in time. Naruto thrust his shoulder forward and caught Kiba right in the gut. Naruto didn't budge an inch, so Kiba's momentum bent him over Naruto's back. The moment Naruto felt Kiba's torso slam across his back he straightened suddenly. Naruto's strength combined with Kiba's momentum was more than sufficient to toss Kiba over his back, the Inuzuka landed in a heap several feet away.

"Too straightforward, you might as well just tell me what you're going to do. You'll need to be a lot more subtle if you plan to hit me." He spun suddenly, raising a hand to swat away Akamaru. The dog bounced across the floor, coming to rest near Kiba. "That goes for your pooch too."

Kiba charged again. Naruto was a bit curious about how similar their fighting styles were so he held back a bit, okay a lot. The pair moved back and forth across the floor. Both boys moved and struck in quick, furtive, feral movements that were eerily similar to each other. Eventually Naruto decided that he had had enough. He ducked under a swing from Kiba. Bringing his knee up as he straightened, he caught Kiba with a brutal knee to the gut. It was followed immediately by an excruciating elbow strike to the kidney. Naruto finished by taking half spin and nailing Kiba with a palm strike that sent him tumbling away.

Akamaru barked, which Kiba seemed to understand. "Yeah, you're right Akamaru. It's time to step it up." He pulled a soldier pill out of a pouch and tossed it to Akamaru, then flashed through a few hand signs as his dog jumped onto his back. "Juujin Bunshin no Jutsu!" There was a puff of smoke as the dog on Kiba's back transformed into an exact replica of him. "Let's go boy."

Both Kibas bounded forward, moving to opposite sides of Naruto and lunging towards him. He took a moment to marvel at their teamwork. It was nearly flawless, extremely impressive for a gennin. Most gennin wouldn't stand a chance against them in a taijutsu fight. Fortunately, however, Naruto's taijutsu was far superior to that of just about any gennin. He ducked and twisted his torso, slipping between both slashes. He lashed out despite the awkward position, nailing both of his opponents with a backhand strike before flipping away from their follow up attacks. He dodged the next set of attacks with similar ease and nailed one of the Kibas, the real one, with a brutal mule kick to the chest. "We can't take him in straight up taijutsu Akamaru; we're going to need to use _that._" The dog barked, "Yeah, I know. But we don't have a choice."

The two sprang forward again, tossing a small pellet that enveloped Naruto in a cloud of smoke. He stayed still, activating his Ishiki no To-Remu to keep track of his opponents. He sensed them start to spin as he heard a shout, "Gatsuuga!" Two forms blasted into the smoke, scattering it in their wake. He was just able to make out what was happening. The two Kibas had entered a chakra-assisted spin, creating a vortex around them. They were bearing down on him from opposite directions, claws poised to strike. Naruto raised his hands and caught both Kibas by the wrist, stopping the attacks cold. Kiba froze in disbelief, the Gatsuuga was his most powerful attack, and Naruto just caught it like it was nothing. Naruto had twisted his torso a bit just before contact, positioning himself so that the force behind the attack spun him around. He activated Chikara no To-Remu as he spun and with a grunt of effort threw both of the Kibas away.

They flew out of the smoke cloud as if from a cannon. Both of them crashed into an opposite wall, leaving a spider web pattern of cracks. There was another cloud of smoke as one of them turned back into Akamaru. "Akamaru!" Kiba climbed to his feet with a wince and rushed over towards his fallen companion. At least until Naruto spoke.

"A little premature to forget about me don't you think? Do you really think you'll stand a chance with your back turned?"

"You're right; I guess I'll just have to take care of you first!" He charged at Naruto with reckless abandon. Naruto just spun casually to the side and brought his hand down on the back of Kiba's neck in a knife-hand strike. The Inuzuka dropped without a sound.

"Of course, you didn't stand a chance against me face to face either."

Hayate walked over and gave Kiba a brief examination. "Winner, Araiki Naruto."

Yugito smirked at him as he climbed the stairs, "You know, it didn't take me nearly as long. Hell, I didn't even have to move from my starting position?"

"I was curious, there is a bit of similarity between the two of us and the Inuzuka clan."

"Whatever you say, let's just watch the next fight. Lee and Kankuro are the only ones left." Naruto glanced down to the arena floor and found that those two boys were indeed on the arena floor. Lee rushed forward as the match began. Kankuro tried to maintain his distance, but his speed wasn't anywhere near Lee's. He couldn't get his hand up fast enough to block either, and took Lee's kick to the side of the head. The force of the blow spun Kankuro's head around, leaving him facing backwards. It didn't seem to faze him though. A surprised Lee was barely able to flip away from Kankuro's counterattack.

The confusion felt by many of the spectators only deepened as the bandages on Kankuro's back flew apart to reveal…another Kankuro. The confusion was somewhat relieved as the outer exterior of the first Kankuro cracked away to reveal a many-limbed wooden figure. Lee narrowed his eyes slightly, "I see, you're a puppet-user." Kankuro didn't respond, opting instead to send his puppet streaking towards Lee. Lee evaded the puppet and charged at Kankuro, determined to eliminate the primary threat. A slight click, different in sound from the rest made by the puppet caught Lee's attention. He turned his head to see a trio of kunai hurtling towards him.

Lee twisted aside gracefully to avoid the projectiles and continued moving towards Kankuro. Kankuro's mind was racing as Lee continued to dodge an onslaught of projectiles. The kid was too fast for him to hit or catch with Karasu, his puppet. He wouldn't stand a chance against him in taijutsu and the arena left him with no place to run or hide. The fight wasn't out of reach, but it would force him to reveal a lot more of Karasu's capabilities than he wanted to. If he revealed them now it could hurt the plan. Instead he calmly raised his hand into the air to catch Hayate's attention. "Excuse me, proctor, I would like to concede the match."

Hayate's eyebrows rose slightly, but he showed no other signs of surprise. "Very well, the winner of the final match is Rock Lee. The winners of the matches should report to the arena floor, Hokage-sama will be addressing you now."

Naruto, Yugito, Neji, Shikamaru, Shino, Sai, Gaara, Temari, and Lee all lined up on the arena floor. Only Sasuke was absent, Kakashi having taken him somewhere immediately after the end of his match. "First of all," the Hokage began, "I would like to congratulate all of you on making it this far. Now, it is time to tell you what the third exam entails." As he spoke, Hayate walked down the line of gennin with a bowl in his hands, prompting each of them to draw a slip of paper from it. "The third exam will be a one-on-one single elimination tournament. It will be held two weeks from now for two different reasons. The first is so that invitations can be sent to various dignitaries and to give them enough time to arrive in Konoha. The second is so that you can train yourself and form strategies based off of what you know about your opponent's capabilities. As I told you earlier, you will be representing your country during these matches. Make sure you do them proud."

Shikamaru spoke up, "Wait, if the final round is a tournament does that mean only one of us is going to become a chuunin?"

Sarutobi chuckled slightly before replying, "No, you will be judged on your performances to see if you are ready to become a chuunin. You could win the tournament and remain a gennin, or receive a promotion after a first round loss. It all depends on how well you perform. Of course, the more matches you participate in the more chances you have to show that you are worthy of being promoted. Now for the tournament brackets, you've each been given a number from one through ten. Contestants one and two will fight in the first round, they'll face the winner of the match between contestants three and four in the second round. The winner of that second round fight will advance to the finals. Similarly, the winner of the fight between contestants five and six will face the winner of the match between contestants seven and eight. However, the winner of that fight will have to fight the victor of the first round match between contestants nine and ten before advancing to the final round. Hayate has recorded the numbers you drew so the brackets will be displayed on the screen."

The bracket flashed onto the screen behind Sarutobi. One of the first things noticed was that match number one was between Hyuga Neji and Araiki Naruto. Neither were displeased with the prospect. Both wanted the fight, but for different reasons. One wanted to fight to avenge his teammate and for the honor of his country, the other wanted to fight because his opponent reminded him of his painful past. The two were as different as night and day, but the same thought was currently running through both of their minds…perfect.

**Translations:**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Ishiki no To-Remu: Translates to Senses of the Totem. User's eyes change to resemble that of their totem. Chakra will also outline the user's ears. This stage of To-Remu Yajuuki greatly enhances all five senses of its user.**

**Shitai no To-Remu: Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Chikara no To-Remu: Translates to Might of the Totem. This technique greatly increases the strength of its user.**

**Raiton: Dendou Jiten: Translates to Lightning Style: Electric Rotation. This jutsu connects a pair of projectiles with arcs of electricity. They then begin to spin like a set of bolos, making the attack cover a larger area. It will also charge the projectiles with electricity.**

**Shikyaku no Jutsu: Translates to All-Fours Jutsu.**

**Juujin Bunshin no Jutsu: Translates to Beast Clone Jutsu.**

**Nikutanku no Jutsu: Translates to Meat Tank Jutsu**

**Shintensen: Translates to Mind Body Switch**

**Kagemane no Jutsu: Translates to Shadow Possession Jutsu.**

**Notes from the Author:**

**I've received several reviews that expressed a little disappointment on my emphasis on the Araikis' bloodline. They've also generally wondered if they have any other techniques. I've decided to address this here. The answer is yes, they do have more techniques to use. That was shown, to an extent, in their brief fight with Orochimaru. They simply haven't used them much to this point because they haven't had to. When you look at the fights in the manga, and even many fights in real life, the combatants start off with the basics and work their way up to the impressive stuff if they need it. A perfect example of this can be seen when Deidara fought Sasuke. He started off with C1 attacks. As Sasuke proved capable of surviving his lesser attacks Deidara gradually worked his way up to C5, his most powerful attack.**

**The reasoning behind this is sound. You always seek to end a fight with minimum effort, and winning a fight with simple techniques takes a lot less chakra than using more powerful techniques. Additionally, the lesser techniques will give you a measure of your opponent and help decide what other techniques would prove effective. For example, if you knew a Hyuga you were facing could use the Kaiten you probably wouldn't waste your time and chakra trying to hit them with a Suiryuudan (Water Dragon Blast). To-Remu Yajuuki is the bread and butter of the Araikis' combat, so it's what they'll start fights off with. And unless they're engaged in a protracted fight with someone whose strength is close to or exceeds theirs, or they feel the need to end things quickly, it is all they'll use in that fight. But don't worry, there will be more taxing fights coming up.**

**And just in case some of you think that Chouji should have been able to pull free of the wires in his Nikutanku no Jutsu remember, it is very hard to power through restraints when you have no momentum. If you need an example sit in a chair and have somebody press their hand against your chest. Then try to get up. If the person is actually exerting a decent amount of pressure you won't be able to.**


	13. Chapter 12: Enter the Toad Sage

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.

Sarutobi was reading off the rest of the matches for the final round. "The second match will be between Nara Shikamaru and Sabaku no Temari. The combatants for the third match will be Araiki Yugito and Sai. They will be followed by Uchiha Sasuke and Sabaku no Gaara. Finally, the last match will be fought between Aburame Shino and Rock Lee. Remember to use this coming month wisely and prepare yourselves well for the final round. Good luck." Then he was gone in a swirl of leaves.

"Perfect," Naruto muttered as he walked over to Akana with Yugito, "I get to fight him right off the bat."

Yugito glanced over at him, "You know, he's probably thinking the same thing."

"True enough, but I know a lot more about Jyuken and the Byakugan than he knows about To-Remu Yajuuki."

"True, but be careful. He looks like he's as talented as you expected. And without him focusing on Meitoku you won't get the jump on him so easily next time. Watch yourself."

"Yeah, I know."

Akana suddenly appeared in front of them. "Come, we'll discuss your upcoming fights later. For now, we're going to check up on Meitoku."

It didn't take them long to find the medical center, and a nurse wasted no time in escorting "Namikaze-sama" to his teammate's room. For once Naruto didn't complain about the name. He had other things on his mind at the moment, not the least of which was his injured teammate. Meitoku was awake, and in good enough condition where the med-nin didn't seem to think he needed constant surveillance. Naruto was the most eager to speak with him, not having had the chance to see how he was doing after his fight. "How are you feeling?"

"Not good. Neji's attack cracked several ribs, inflicted moderate damage on both of my, and minor damage to my heart. The medics informed me that my injuries are not life-threatening. However, due to the strain placed on my organs I'm not supposed to engage in strenuous activity for the next month and they want to keep me under observation for a week."

"That bastard was trying to kill you," traces of anger leaked into Naruto's tone, "he had several openings he could have used to knock you unconscious, but he passed up all of them. When I take him on in the finals…"

"You'll be fighting him?"

"Yeah, first match of the tournament. We'll see if I can beat this fate crap out of him. Either way, he's going to pay for what he did to you."

"I appreciate the sentiment."

"Me too gaki, you're reminding me of Minato right now."

Naruto spun around in surprise; he hadn't even felt the stranger's presence as he approached. A tall figure was leaning against the door, one that was fairly easily recognizable. He had long spiky white hair, red marks under his eyes, a horned hitaite…it was Jiraiya, the Toad Sage and Sannin of Konohagakure. Akana slid between the Toad Sage and her students, just in case. "Jiraiya-san, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see Naruto, what did you expect?"

"You're not going to convince me to stay in Konoha, enough people have tried already."

"Yeah, I know kid. I already spoke to Sarutobi-sensei about that, I'm not about to waste my time trying."

"Then what do you want with me?"

"I'm offering to train you."

"Why, you may spend all your time wandering throughout the elemental countries but you're still loyal to Konoha. Why would you train a Kumo-nin."

"Because I owe it to you and your father. I was Minato's sensei, and I promised him that I'd train his son if I lived long enough for it. Besides, I'm your godfather. I owe it to you too."

"If you're my godfather where were you all my life?"

Jiraiya fought the urge to wince, the kid cut straight to the point. "Early on in your life I was out of the village. There were various reasons for my travels, one of them was protecting you. Bijuu and Jinchuuriki are powerful, and the circumstances of your sealing couldn't exactly be kept quiet. I was trying to unearth plots to kidnap or assassinate you. Obviously I missed one. I tried to find you afterwards, but didn't have any luck. Kumogakure's spy network is impressive, probably the equal of my own. They were prepared too. When I tried to find out what happened to you I encountered dozens of false leads. I found a story that said you had been shipped off to Kiri as part of some trade, and similar stories for every other shinobi village I've heard of. There were stories that you were executed, rumors that you'd been given to Orochimaru to be used as a lab rat, reports that you'd been taken out of the village to get private training from a select few elite shinobi. About the only story I didn't hear was that you had been subjected to a sealing ritual to get rid of the kyuubi and give you a bloodline. I didn't even learn of To-Remu Yajuuki until two years later, and didn't know that you were one of its bearers until Asuma brought the news back. I haven't been able to track you down until now."

Naruto lapsed into silence. Jiraiya's explanation seemed reasonable, and he didn't doubt that his village had tried their best to keep him safe and secure within Kumogakure. He was snapped out of his reverie by Akana, "Naruto, you should take him up on his offer."

That caught him by surprise, "I thought you would have been opposed to this idea."

Akana sighed, "It's hardly a perfect situation, but Jiraiya's a powerful ninja and can teach you a lot of things that I can't. Plus it'll give both yourself and Yugito more one on one time with an instructor. And while I hold complete faith in your abilities you're going against powerful opposition in the finals, it never hurts to take every advantage you can get just in case."

"You have a point. I will accept your training Jiraiya-san."

"Great," Jiraiya's grin nearly split his face. "Meet me tomorrow outside your hotel tomorrow at nine in the morning." Then he was gone in a swirl of leaves and smoke.

"Naruto."

"Yes Kaa-san?"

"Don't let him corrupt you."

"What do you mean corrupt me?"

She sighed, "You'll see."

By the time Naruto woke up the following morning Akana and Yugito were already gone. He got ready quickly, then ate and headed down to meet with Jiraiya. Naruto made it down to the lobby a few minutes early. Jiraiya had made it down even earlier and was already waiting. He motioned for Naruto to follow him and made his way to a wooded cliff overlooking a pool and waterfall before addressing his godson. "Okay, I don't have too much knowledge of your taijutsu style or bloodline so I won't be able to help you with those much. But I do know that you have an extraordinary amount of chakra and pretty good control over it, I think I have just the technique for you."

He bit his thumb and flashed through five hand seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" There was a puff of smoke as a ten-foot tall frog appeared underneath Jiraiya. It opened its mouth and unrolled its tongue, letting a large scroll come to rest in front of Naruto. "That's the Toad Contract kid. Sign it and mark it with your fingerprints, both in blood, and you'll be able to summon toads to help you in combat."

Naruto looked at the contract briefly, "No thanks."

Jiraiya fell off of his toad in shock, "What do you mean no! Do you have any idea how useful a good summons contract can be? Your father even summoned Gamabunta to hold off the Kyuubi when he sealed it."

"My knowledge on summoning is admittedly limited, but I've heard that signing a contract forges a connection between the summoner and the summons."

"Correct, it's a link formed by natural energy. It's what allows the summoner to summon without the use of a large and complicated seal array."

"Right, well, I already sort of have a connection with foxes. It's not with any sort of corporeal creature; more of a spiritual thing, a totem spirit if you will. I may not know exactly how it works but the connection's there, it wouldn't feel right to have another one."

"I understand, doubt that it would even be possible for you to sign a contract then. It's not possible for someone to gain two Summoning Contracts. It's been theorized that the reason it can't be done is because two of those connections cannot be formed. Of course your connection with your fox totem is different…but still."

"Do you know what those bonds consist of?"

"It's a complicated subject, even the Toad Elders at Mt. Myobokuzan don't fully understand it. It has to do with natural energy; which is similar to the physical and spiritual energy you need to make chakra, except it comes from an outside source."

"Can it be incorporated into chakra?"

"You're getting ahead of yourself kid. Learning how to form chakra with natural energy is extremely difficult, and dangerous. Very few shinobi have ever managed to accomplish it, there's no way you're ready for it yet."

"Yet," Naruto emphasized that last word, "you think I might be someday?"

"It's hard to say. Your kekkai genkai seems to be closely linked to nature so it would seem possible. The only way to really figure it out would be to try to teach you. But like I said, you're not ready for it yet. Besides, you have to get ready for a tournament in a month. Using what little time we have to try to teach you something that you may not even be able to grasp."

"So, what are you going to teach me now?"

Jiraiya grinned, "Wait here, I need to do a bit of shopping." He came back half an hour later with a large paper bag in one hand. Naruto leaned over to peer inside.

"Water balloons?" Incredulity and disappointment were mixed in with his tone. "I was expecting some sort of specialized training equipment. What the hell am I going to learn from water balloons."

"Not all training equipment needs to be specialized kid, now pay attention." Jiraiya held out his hand. A spiraling orb of blue chakra formed in his hand. "This is the Rasengan, your father's most powerful attack jutsu. It took him three years to develop. He tried to teach it to a few people, but I'm the only one besides him that's ever been able to completely master it. But once someone figures it out," He turned and pressed the orb against a tree, letting it slowly grind its way through the wood. "It can be used to devastating effect. Whether you use chakra to maintain the jutsu and grind away at your target," He spun suddenly and slammed the attack into a man-sized boulder. There was a brief blast of concussive force and the boulder was reduced to gravel and dust. "or release it in one devastating blast."

"Teach me." Jiraiya noted the amazement in Naruto's eyes, looked like he had impressed the kid. He noted something else too, eagerness. The kid was dying to learn the new jutsu, he could tell. Jiraiya grinned despite himself, there was so much of Minato in the boy.

"There are three stages to learning this jutsu; rotation, power, and control. The rotation's first." He pulled a water balloon out of the bag and held it in his open palm. The balloon suddenly began to wriggle, bumps rapidly appearing and disappearing on the surface of the balloon. Before long it popped, causing a small deluge of water to rain upon the ground. "For this stage you use your chakra to spin the water in the balloon until it pops." He tossed a water balloon to Naruto, "Now get going."

By the end of the day Naruto was not amused. He was running low on chakra and had made very little progress. Most people could have expected some pointers but no. His, his perverted excuse of a sensei had spent the entire day staring at bathing women through a telescope. Whenever Naruto asked for advice Jiraiya just said that Naruto needed to figure it out for himself. Then of course, he looked back through his telescope and started giggling again as he scribbled in is notebook.

He was just about to try again when he felt Jiraiya grab him by the wrist. The Sannin removed the water balloon from Naruto's hand and examined his palm, noting the beginnings of chakra burn that were starting to appear. "That's enough for today. You should go back to the hotel and rest a bit. Try again tomorrow, no need to overexert yourself on the first day of training."

"Maybe I wouldn't have had to exert myself quite as much if you had actually given me some advice."

"Look kid, I run an extensive spy network. I've traveled to just about every nook and cranny of the elemental nations. My sensei, the Sandaime Hokage of Konoha, is said to have mastered every jutsu used in this village. Long story short, I've heard of just about every jutsu in existence. Out of all of them, the Rasengan is the second or third most difficult. In order to pull this off you have to truly understand the jutsu,I can't just tell you how to do it. You need to figure it out for yourself. Even then, it'll take a hell of a lot of effort to actually get it down. There are only a few people I've met who have the bull-headed stubbornness to actually learn it. One was the Yondaime, one of them was me. Both of us were great and talented shinobi who worked our asses off to rise to the top. And when I look at you, I see that same potential. That's why I'm teaching you the Rasengan kid. So don't let me down."

Naruto grinned, "You got it Ero-sennin."

"What did you call me?"

"Ero-sennin, it seemed fitting. You're the Toad Sage and you're a pervert."

"Didn't anyone ever teach you to respect your elders gaki?"

"Kaa-san always taught me to show people the respect they deserve. You're an extraordinarily powerful shinobi and I respect you for that. But you're also a pervert. I'll treat you accordingly, for both cases."

"Ungrateful brat."

"See you tomorrow Ero-sennin." Naruto turned and leapt into the trees, making his way back towards Konoha. Naruto kept to the rooftops as he made his way back to the hotel. He found that it was the best way to avoid the overzealous villagers that continued to flock towards him because of a surname that he didn't even use. Then he smelled something. He activated Megurushi, then Ishiki no To-Remu and turned in a slow circle to get a fix on the scent's direction. Then he sped off towards it. A minute later, he found himself on the rooftops overlooking a small stand called Ichiraku's Ramen. He hadn't actually tried Ramen before, it wasn't that common back home. This stuff smelled great though, so he decided to give it a try.

He jumped off the building, falling three stories before landing lightly on his feet. He wasted little time pushing aside a bit of hanging cloth and entering the stand, the less time he spent on the streets the better. A man in a white coat turned as he entered. "Namik-"

"Araiki," Naruto cut the man off before he could finish, "I go by Araiki Naruto. I've never used the surname Namikaze, and I don't plan to."

"Okay then Araiki-san, what can I get for you."

Naruto scanned the menu briefly, "One Miso Ramen please."

"Coming right up." The man, Teuchi according to his nametag, turned back to the kitchen behind the counter. A few minutes later the shop's second employee, Ayame, set the steaming bowl down in front of Naruto.

He grabbed a pair of chopsticks from a container on the counter and broke them open. "Itadakimasu." He dipped his chopsticks into the bowl and twirled them briefly before removing a clump of noodles. He wasted little time in popping them into his mouth. The proprietors of the stand saw the boy's face light up. Then they stared open-mouthed as Naruto proceeded to devour the bowl at a truly astonishing rate. He finished quickly and pushed the bowl aside. "Another please." The request had been anticipated, and another bowl was placed in front of him immediately.

A short while later Naruto was paying the bill for eighteen bowls of Ramen. It was a good thing that Kumo was rather generous with the stipends given to the Araikis. "That was amazing, I'm definitely going to have to come back here again. See you next time." He pushed the hanging cloth aside and leapt back to the rooftops, making his way back to the hotel.

A dumbstruck Ayame turned to stare at her father. "Tou-san, have you ever seen anybody eat that much Ramen before?"

Teuchi, looking every bit as shocked, as his daughter slowly shook his head. "No, never." He glanced down at the small mound of cash sitting on the countertop and sighed, "If only he was a Konoha-nin."

Naruto entered the suite to find Akana sitting on a couch in the common area. "I see what you meant when you told me not to let him corrupt me, the man's a pervert."

"Yep, first time I saw him he was peeping at the onsen I happened to be at."

Naruto eyed the devilish smirk on his mother's face warily, "What did you do?"

"Me, I just cast a simple genjutsu. It makes all males appear to be female and vice versa. His scream of horror sure was something, got the attention of all the women in the onsen too. And while Jiraiya's one of the most powerful shinobi I've ever seen, he seems to wilt under a crowd of angry women. He was pretty beaten up by the time they were done with him. He did figure out that I was the one who cast the genjutsu. Needless to say, he hasn't really bothered me since."

"He sounds like quite the character."

"That he is, that he definitely is."

"Well, I'm going to lie down, my chakra's running fairly low." Naruto entered his room and closed the door behind him. He flopped down onto the bed with a contented sigh. Somehow, he wasn't really surprised when Yugito dropped onto the bed beside him. "How long have you been waiting in here?"

"Too long, I've been wanting to talk to you about something."

"Can it wait until tomorrow, I'm pretty tired."

"No, something's been bugging me. Why would Orochimaru attack us here of all places? There's no way he could stay in his former village for too long without being found out. He had to know they'd figure out he was here, especially after attacking a bunch of gennin. And this village would probably react more violently to his presence than anyplace else in the Elemental Nations. Why would he attack us here?"

"We weren't his only objective."

"The Uchiha, I know, but was this really the best way to approach him? It's not like he's always in the village. Even if he was, that was hardly the most discreet way to attack him. I swung by the Uchiha district earlier today, and one of the houses still looks like it's lived in. Sasuke probably lives there alone. Orochimaru could have attacked him there and nobody might have known. By attacking Sasuke in front of his team and letting them live Orochimaru ensured that the village would learn of his presence."

"You think he was trying to let Konoha know he was here? What possible reason could he have for doing that?"

"He was making a diversion, it's the only thing that makes sense."

"Okay, let's say you're right. What is he trying to divert attention from?"

"I don't know, and it worries me. There are too many variables, too many possibilities. I can't even begin to guess them all. When I try my head just feels like it's going to burst."

Naruto leapt to his feet. "That's it!" He bent down and planted a quick kiss on her lips, "You're a genius Yugito-chan." Then he was gone, leaping out the window with Ishiki no To-Remu activated.

Yugito crossed her arms over her chest and pouted slightly as she looked at the open window. "Tired my ass."

Jiraiya was crouched behind a wooden fence with is eye to a knothole. Every once and a while he'd give a perverse little giggle and scribble something down in a small notebook. He suddenly sensed an output of chakra above his head, but before he could do anything there was a popping sound and he was hit by a small deluge of water. He turned to see Naruto standing over him, the shredded remains of a water balloon held in one hand. He held one finger to his lips to keep Naruto quieted and quietly walked out of earshot of the onsen before speaking. "So, you've figured out the first stage of the Rasengan."

"Yeah, Yugito-chan made a remark that helped me realize that I'd need to rotate chakra in several different directions if I was going to break the balloon. It made sense too, considering all the bumps the water balloon you were using had before it burst."

"Show me." Naruto shrugged and caught the water balloon that Jiraiya tossed to him. A look of concentration settled onto his face as he started at the balloon in his hand. Before long, the surface of the balloon was distorted by rapidly appearing bulges. Then it burst with a soft pop, drenching Naruto's hand with its contents. "Impressive, it took Minato six months to get that far in his development of the jutsu. Took me a week to learn. Even with a bit of outside inspiration, getting that step done within a day is nothing short of amazing."

"Thanks, I guess. So, what's the next step?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow. Like I said earlier you need to get some rest. Now, I need to get back to my research." With that, Jiraiya scampered off through the underbrush back towards the onsen.

Naruto shook his head as he started walking back to the hotel. "Pervert."

It was late by the time he got back to the suite, it had taken him a while to find Jiraiya after all. Although in hindsight Naruto supposed that the onsen should have been the first place he should have checked. It wasn't like Jiraiya went through any great lengths to hide his nature. Anyway, Yugito had already bone to bed by the time he returned and Akana was off I parts unknown. He settled into a chair with a contented sight. Finally, some peace and quiet.

Jiraiya was waiting for Naruto the following morning at the same spot where he had trained him (sort of) yesterday. The Toad Sage leaning with his back to a tree, tossing a rubber ball up and down. "Is that for the next stage of the Rasengan?"

"Sharp as ever kid. The idea for this stage is pretty much the same as the first one, pop the ball. But instead of having a balloon filled with water you'll have a rubber ball filled with air, so it'll be much harder. Remember, you need to get the ball to burst. A single hole in it won't cut it. After you complete this stage you'll have the power necessary to form a proper Rasengan. This step'll probably take you longer to get down so get to it. I have some research I need to get done."

Naruto glanced at the hunched and giggling form of Jiraiya, then at the rubber ball held in his hands. With a sigh, he went to work. He quickly came to the conclusion that Jiraiya had been right, this stage was a lot harder than the first one. He sat cross-legged for hours on end, pushing a continuous stream of swirling chakra into the rubber ball held in his hands. He remained uninterrupted like that for several hours. Then a break in the clouds caused the sun to flash off the lens of Jiraiya's telescope, alerting the girls below. Naruto was gone in a flash, not wanting to get caught up in whatever chaos was about to ensue. He settled down in a training ground inside of Konoha and resumed his work on the Rasengan. Soon enough, he found that even his enormous chakra reserves were taxed and fell into a restless slumber.

He awoke with a start, Megurushi no To-Remu activating and his claws flashing upwards. He took in the scene at a glance. Kiba and Shino stood a short distance off, their stances tense but wary. A wide-eyed Hinata was on the ground in front of him, having lost her balance when she flinched away from his claws. "Sorry, reflexes and all that. It's generally not a good idea for someone I don't know well to get too close to me when I'm sleeping."

"Why are you sleeping in a training field. Does your team not have a room in a hotel." You could always trust an Aburame to cut straight to the heart of the matter.

"I didn't exactly plan on it," came Naruto's reply. Looking around briefly, he picked up the rubber ball and slipped it into the pouch on his belt. "I just pushed myself a little too hard while I was training. Guess I got a bit of chakra exhaustion."

"What were you training for that required a rubber ball." Naruto supposed it made sense that the Inuzuka would ask about the rubber ball.

"That's a secret. Well, I should get going." He climbed to his feet and prepared to leave.

"W-wait."

He stopped, "Yes Hinata-san?"

"Y-you're fighting Neji-san. He wants to k-kill you."

"I'm fully aware of that."

"H-how are you so c-calm. He's the genius of our clan, a Jyuken prodigy."

"He's an idiot. He's too afraid of what has happened, and what might happen. He clings to fate to convince himself that events are beyond his control, that he can't change them; because he's too much of a coward to try. With luck, I'll be able to beat a bit of common sense into him."

"Even so, you cannot deny that he is a highly skilled opponent."

"I never did Shino, and I never said that I wouldn't treat him with caution. But you have to remember, Jyuken and the Byakugan is much more well-documented than my bloodline. Well, I should get going. Your sensei's almost here." He was gone with a crackle of electricity.

"Kiba-kun," Hinata had noticed a shocked expression on his face, "what's wrong."

"He sensed Kurenai-sensei before I did, before any of us did. We've been around her much more than him. We're familiar with her chakra signature, I know her scent better than just about anybody's outside of my clan. For someone who's barely seen her to sense her presence before any of us…"

"He is most formidable. Hopefully I don't have to face him in the Finals."

**Notes from the Author****: This chapter was incredibly difficult to write, hence the delay. Even with the delay, I'm still not entirely satisfied with it. I guess the problem is that there isn't too much on the agenda for the gap between exams and what is on the agenda (teaching Naruto the Rasengan) is going to take most if not all of the month. Unfortunately, this leaves me with relatively little material to work with during this interlude. Bear with me though, the Finals will start next chapter and then things will pick up, although the next chapter may be delayed as well. Also coming up are the reasons behind the kidnapping and some more information on To-Remu Yajuuki. By the time Team Four departs Konoha you'll know as much about the bloodline as Yugito and Naruto do, with most of it coming in the match against Neji. Just something for you to look forward to.**


	14. Chapter 13: Grudge Match

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

As Naruto leapt away from the training grounds he glanced at a clock in Konoha and groaned, it was already 7:45. Looked like he was skipping breakfast today. Half an hour later he was wondering why he skipped breakfast. Today's training was in the mold of the previous two. Naruto worked tirelessly on the Rasengan while Jiraiya passed the time by spying on the girls below. He wasn't having much luck either. By the end of the day he felt no closer to completing the second stage of the Rasengan than he had in the morning.

The days started to blur together for Naruto. Akana and Yugito were both generally gone by the time he went to meet Jiraiya for the day's training. He'd spend the day working himself to exhaustion while Jiraiya spied on women. The only noticeable difference was when Jiraiya moved to a different training area because he wanted a "change in scenery." When he was done he'd head back to the suite and spend time with Akana and Yugito. This turned into the least repetitive part of the day as it was interspersed with visits to Meitoku in the hospital and a handful of dates with Yugito.

The pattern held for a week and a half until Naruto finally completed the second stage of the Rasengan. The results were comical to say the least. When the ball burst it sent a concussive blast out in all directions. Naruto was blown backwards, skidding across the ground until he crashed into a tree. Jiraiya didn't get off quite so lucky, as the unexpected blast blew him over the edge of the cliff. As luck would have it, he landed with a splash amongst the naked women in the pool below.

Naruto waited a good half hour before climbing down to his sensei. He was about to get caught up in the chaos that ensued. Jiraiya was lying in a battered heap on the edge of the pool, key word being was. At Naruto's approach he leapt to his feet, looking no worse for the wear. "So…you just pretend that they beat you up."

"They're less likely to complain to anybody if they feel they've already exacted retribution. Never seems to cross their mind that they'd have no chance against a sannin."

"People do see what they want to."

"You're smarter than you look kid."

"Thanks, I think."

Jiraiya glanced upwards, gauging the position of the sun in the sky above him. "Looks like it's too late in the day to start on the final stage of Rasengan, it'll have to wait until tomorrow. Tell you what; I'll treat you to dinner. It'll be my way of congratulating you on getting this far this quickly, we could go to a ramen stand or something."

Naruto carefully hid the wicked grin from his features. "Sounds great, I've heard of this nice little place called Ichiraku's…"

Half an hour later, Naruto found himself enjoying the expression of shocked amazement on Jiraiya's face. "H-how can you…where do you put it all?"

"I eat a lot, Yugito-chan does too. It might be part of our bloodline, that or it's a left over effect from being a jinchuuriki."

"I can't see how your parents managed to pay for your food all these years."

Naruto hopped off his stool, starting to walk back towards the hotel. "Our cost of living has been subsidized by our village so far, as have any expenses accrued by our ninja training."

Jiraiya was about to respond, but Naruto was suddenly gone. The young Kumo-nin was five stories up on the corner of the roof. He had made it just in time, as he saw Rin round the corner onto the street he had been walking down not long before. "You avoiding her or something kid?"

Naruto jumped infitesimally in shock as he heard the Toad Sage behind him. "You know, since the age of seven nobody's been able to sneak up on me. Not even Yugito-chan, whose bloodline grants her the same edge it grants me. Then I met you."

"No matter how good you are at something there's always someone better than you. Remember that, it could save your life some day. And now I have to ask if you're avoiding my earlier question."

Naruto grinned ruefully, "You don't let anything slip by you."

"Comes with being a spymaster."

"Yeah, I'm avoiding her."

"Why? She raised you for two years after all."

"That's what gives rise to the problem. It's obvious she still cares about me, but her views of Kaa-san and my ties to Kumo are much less favorable. So speaking with her is kind of…awkward."

"I see, looks like you're in need of my advice."

"Really, I didn't expect you to have much in the way of advice for such a sensitive topic."

"Kid, I've been running from and avoiding women since I was younger than you are now. It's essential if I'm to be able to successfully carry out my research. Now, your first mistake was to flee straight up. When frightened, most shinobi will flee upwards if possible because it makes them more difficult to track. Because many shinobi learn this it's the first place they'll check. A much better option would be to-"

By this point Naruto had heard enough, and a quick shove to the unsuspecting Sannin's chest sent him tumbling over the edge of the building. He landed with an audible thud, catching Rin's attention and allowing Naruto to leap away unnoticed. "Provide a distraction," he muttered to finish Jiraiya's earlier sentence. He just hoped that Jiraiya wouldn't be too upset about it the following morning.

Jiraiya was already waiting the next morning when Naruto arrived at the pre-arranged training ground. "So umm" he brought a hand up to rub the back of his head nervously, "no hard feelings about last night?"

"No, no hard feelings. Take this though," He tossed a small book to Naruto, whose eyebrow started to twitch as he read the title; _The Great Jiraiya's Guide to Evading, Fleeing from, and Getting out of Trouble with Women_.

"You realize stuff like this is why I pushed you off the roof last night."

"I thought that it was to avoid Rin."

"That was an added benefit."

"You should talk to her though. She may not be thrilled that you call Kumogakure home, but she raised you for the first two years of your life and still cares for you deeply. She still blames herself for losing you, to losing to Akana when she came to kidnap you. It's been eating at her for over ten years now."

"How many women should you talk to that you avoid?"

Jiraiya sighed, "That's different kid, and you know it. Besides, just because I make a practice out of something doesn't mean you should too. But I suppose we aren't here to discuss your social interactions. I'm going to show you the final stage of the Rasengan, pay attention." He pulled out a balloon, and blew it up. Then he held it in the palm of his hand, watching Naruto expectantly.

Traces of skepticism leaked into Naruto's voice, "The final stage is holding a balloon."

"I expected a bit better from you. A shinobi has to observe with more than just his eyes."

Naruto cursed inwardly at his mistake as he focused on his other modes of perception, particularly his ability to perceive chakra. He found out what Jiraiya was doing almost immediately, sensing the swirling orb of chakra furiously spinning just under the skin of the balloon. "You have the Rasengan in there, but you're not popping the balloon."

"Correct; that's the third stage of the Rasengan, control. It's much more difficult than either of the first stages. Right now, you're partially formed Rasengan isn't that dangerous. It'll shred clothing, maybe tear skin. But as you become better able to contain the power in a limited area the Rasengan will grow in power until it can do the damage I demonstrated when I first showed you the technique." He tossed Naruto a bag of balloons. "Get going kid. This step's going to be the most difficult by far. But when you're done, you'll have mastered one of the most powerful and difficult jutsus in existence."

Naruto quickly inflated a balloon; tying it off with quick, efficient motions. He hefted it to eye level as his chakra began to swirl within. It was time to get to work.

A week went by; Naruto was still working on the final stage of the Rasengan. At least it was a lot more satisfying than the last one. It may have been a more difficult, but at least the progress was noticeable. As his training went on he could keep the balloon in one piece for longer amounts of time. It started to bulge before bursting instead of suddenly tearing itself to pieces, indicative of less pressure being placed on the inside of the balloon. Still, it was slow going. Two and a half weeks had passed, leaving only a week and a half to finish the Rasengan. He definitely wanted it ready in time for the finals, but it was going to be close.

At the moment he was resting, forced to by the slight burning feeling of his palm. It was a bit frustrating, having chakra burn limiting his progress instead of his actual chakra capacity. "Interesting," Naruto rolled to his feet as Yugito's voice drifted down from above, "it seems that your preoccupation with Kage Monuments even extends to Konoha."

"What can I say," Naruto turned as he spoke, motioning towards the village below with a sweep of his arms, "the view's almost as spectacular from this one as the one back in Kumo. Besides," he rapped his fingers on the stone beneath him, "the Yondaime's head also serves as his tomb according to the tour guides. I suppose that this is as close as I'll ever get to him."

Her lips quirked into a small smile, "It's not often you let your sensitive side show like that."

He chuckled slightly, "Look who's talking."

She slugged him lightly, muttering under her breath. "Ass."

He lowered himself to a sitting position, pulling Yugito down onto his lap as he did. His breath was warm against her ear as he spoke. "We haven't been able to do this enough lately, just the two of us."

"It's the price of success I suppose. Too many things that need to be done; not as much time for yourself, or those close to you. Still, it's for the best I suppose. Neither of us would be content as civilians."

"Yeah," Naruto leaned backwards, bringing Yugito down with him. They ended up on their backs, staring at Konoha's clear starry skies. "I guess that just means that moments like this need to be treasured."

"Mhmm," Yugito murmured her agreement as she snuggled into Naruto's side. The couple just stayed there, lying under the stars and content to simply bask in each other's presence.

Of course, not all of Naruto's nocturnal encounters were so pleasant. The best example of this came two days later when he encountered Sabaku no Gaara. Naruto had been traversing the rooftops, his norm while in Konoha when he sensed the jinchuuriki's chakra signature. Unfortunately, Gaara had sensed his as well so attempts to circle around and continue towards the hotel weren't very effective. It was odd though; Akana would have had trouble picking up his chakra signature with the care he had been using to mask it. Perhaps Gaara had an easier time picking up his presence because he was a jinchuuriki; it was something that made sense even if he had no way of telling if it was true or not.

Whatever the reason, Naruto found himself standing across the roof from Gaara. He may have been in his usual impassive cross-armed stance, but Naruto could still feel the psychotic bloodlust rolling off of him. Still, his gourd was corked so it at least looked like there was hope for a civil conversation…for now at least.

The two stood still for a second, sizing each other up before Gaara's voice rasped across the distance between them. "There's something strange about you, different than anyone else I've seen. It has mother excited, she's eager for your blood."

"I find that odd, seeing as how I've never met your mother." He considered throwing in how odd it was for a human to desire another's blood, but decided it would be wise not to antagonize the obviously unstable jinchuuriki.

"She has. She's always with me; a voice in my head urging me to attack, maim, kill. She wants blood, she relishes it. And yours, she wants yours more than any other. Except maybe that girl with you, the one who's just like you."

Naruto took a moment to mull Gaara's latest statement. The girl Gaara was talking about was obviously Yugito, which only served to reinforce his belief that it was his bloodline that interested Gaara. And the voice inside Gaara's head, it seemed to explain the Suna-nin's instability. Of course the question as to where the voice came from still remained. Perhaps it was some sort of multiple personality disorder. But Naruto could only guess at that, he never was much of a psychologist. Although the possibility that the voice was the demon's influence was not one that could be ignored. "Your mother sounds like a wonderful person," he muttered.

"She understands me; she knows that I must kill in order to exist."

"You must kill to exist? What kind of reasoning lead you to that conclusion?" Naruto fought the urge to settle backwards into a defensive stance, not wanting to provoke the crazed Jinchuuriki.

"My father created me to be a weapon, to be a hidden asset to protect the village. I scared them, terrified them, causing them to hate me. Then it happened, the first assassination attempt. I crushed him with my sand, lethally wounding him. Only then did I learn that it was my uncle, that he had volunteered when my father asked for an assassin. The leader of the village no longer wanted me, the weapon meant for its defense. The village I was born to protect and existed to serve wanted me dead. I had no purpose; do you know that it's like to have no purpose? It was during the second assassination attempt that I realized it, my new purpose. I exist to kill, I'm a monster."

"No, you contain a monster. There's a difference Gaara."

Gaara's head slapped around as if he had been slapped, and Naruto tensed as the cork shifted dangerously in the neck of the gourd. "How did you know that?"

"I know many things that you wouldn't expect, and it's not like I can share all my methods with you. Now, I must take my leave." Naruto leaned backwards, disappearing as he fell over the edge of the roof. Gaara wasted no time in reaching the edge and looking down, but Naruto was nowhere to be found. He extended his senses but couldn't sense his chakra either, Naruto was gone. "Araiki Naruto," Gaara muttered under his breath, "you will help to prove my existence."

Nine days later Naruto found himself sitting across from Jiraiya in a small barbecue. "So, you still haven't fully mastered the Rasengan have you?"

"No, I'm getting close, I can tell. But I'm not quite there yet."

"You'll still try to use it won't you?"

"If I have to. Life or death fights aren't good situations to hold back in."

"I suppose, but be careful with it. The Rasengan is as likely to blow up in your face as anything else if you haven't completely mastered it. If you do find yourself in a position where you need to use it, try to build a bit of space between yourself and your opponent before forming it. At least then if something goes wrong you'll have a bit of time to react."

"Yeah, sounds like a good idea."

Jiraiya raised his head, looking Naruto dead in the eye. "Be careful out there kid. I think you've already gotten an idea of how much Neji seems to hate you. The Hyuga clan head, Hiashi, isn't terribly pleased with you either. The Hyuga clan as a whole seems a bit prone towards holding grudges, whether they're rational or not. I don't doubt that Neji received some special training over the past month, so don't be surprised if he shows something he wasn't capable of during the preliminaries. I was really hoping you'd manage to get the Rasengan down by the end of the month."

"I guess I'll just have to adapt if need be."

Jiraiya grinned, "Improvisation, the mark of a true warrior1. Minato was always good at that. Good luck kid, I have a feeling you'll do great tomorrow."

Naruto's resulting smirk was decidedly feral. "The Raikage sent me here to show off what To-Remu Yajuuki can do, it's something I have every intention of doing."

Naruto got back to the suite that night to find his team waiting for him, including Meitoku who had recently been released from the hospital. Akana looked up as he entered, "Good, I need to speak with you and Yugito before tomorrow's match."

Naruto rolled himself over the back of a chair, settling down in it with a sigh. "What about?"

"The Raikage and I had a long talk about this before we left Kumo. We've decided that, despite the tendency of shinobi to keep secrets, the mechanism and abilities of your kekkai genkai need to be revealed during the finals tomorrow."

There was a long pause before Yugito broke the silence, "Why, people will be able to prepare for it."

"Yeah, I know. Unfortunately, that's the price wielders of a bloodline pay. The greatest strength a village gains from possessing a bloodline is the renown it brings. That's why kekkai genkai tend to be so widely known. Think about, the Sharingan, the Byakugan, Shikotsumyaku; villages very rarely take action to suppress information about them. Clients seeking to hire missions know that the village has a set of shinobi with a unique skill set that can't be found anywhere else. If that skill set fits the mission profile the client is likely to approach the village that houses the kekkai genkai.

Take the Hyuga Clan for example; they're some of the best infiltrators and kidnappers around. Their Byakugan let's them see through solid objects in all directions, making it much easier for them to avoid guards and pick the best routes while infiltrating buildings. Strikes from the Jyuken can disable their targets with virtually no additional ill effects, which aids greatly in subduing a target. Many clients, even those from nations with their own major shinobi villages, approach Konohagakure to hire members of the Hyuga clan for that type of mission.

The fame of a bloodline can also prove beneficial to a shinobi, despite foreknowledge of its abilities. Taijutusu specialists used to dread having to face a wielder of Shikotsumyaku. People hesitate to use most high level attacks against the Sharingan in fear that it will be copied and disseminated. The reservations the reputation a bloodline brings can often overcome the disadvantage of having some of your secrets revealed."

Naruto sighed, rubbing his face with his hand, "I understand. When should we reveal the intel?"

"The bigger the stage the better, and the sooner it's revealed the lower the chance that something goes wrong. Your match against Neji, some of your secrets won't remain so for long against Jyuken and the Byakugan anyway. Wait for a break in combat, preferably when you've already got him on the ropes. And if he starts figuring things out on your own, cut in and tell people yourself. It seems much more impressive that way."

Naruto sighed as he flipped onto his feet. "Got it, I'm going to hit the bed for tonight. Want to make sure I get enough sleep for tomorrow."

Yugito hopped onto her feet as Naruto entered his room, "Sounds like a good idea, I think I'll go to bed too. See you tomorrow."

Meitoku stared at the closed doors for a long moment after his teammates left the room. "How do you think they'll do tomorrow?"

A small grin graced Akana's features and pride laced her voice, "They're going to blow the audience away," she paused for a moment, her voice becoming a bit more introspective, "Hopefully not literally."

Naruto and Yugito were up early the next morning. In a rare change of pace, no words were exchanged between them as they prepared for the upcoming day. They took care while getting dressed; double checking each knot, each strap, and each wrap of the bandages around their legs. They were determined to leave nothing to chance. Then they unfurled a scroll across the floor. There was a puff of smoke as dozens of kunai and shuriken appeared. Each one was individually tested; examined for nicks of the blade, balance, and even the wrappings of the kunai handles. They weren't done until an hour later, finally having everything ready to their satisfaction.

They found Akana watching in silent approval as they finished up. That was about when Meitoku left his room as well, fully dressed and kitted out. Akana's gaze lingered briefly over each of her students. "Okay, let's move out."

Team Four traveled to the stadium via the streets, opting to conserve as much of the Araikis' chakra as possible. The resulting scene was typical of Naruto's stay in Konoha. They were given a decent birth by the rest of the crowds on the streets, subjected to constant stares while whispers of Namikaze-sama echoed around them. Naruto bore it with the stoicism he had developed during his stay in Konoha. It seemed to be a long, long walk to the stadium. Upon arrival, both Meitoku and Akana wished Akana luck before departing to the stands. Naruto let out a deep breath before heading into the arena, Yugito by his side.

The remaining competitors assembled in a line across the middle of the stadium. Sasuke was conspicuously absent, an observation Naruto filed away into his mind for later analysis. He had bigger things to worry about now, namely the Hyuga that was three spots to his right. A Konoha-nin appeared in front of them via sunshin. He was tall, dressed in standard Konoha gear with a blue bandana wrapped around his head. A bit of his brown hair escaped the bandana, falling down to about his jaw and a senbon was held casually in his mouth. His eyes swept over the assembled gennin, measuring them briefly before speaking. "My name is Shiranui Genma; I will be your proctor for the final exams. Rules are the same as the preliminaries, you can use any amount of force you deem necessary. Also, I reserve the right to end a fight immediately if I determine that one combatant can no longer continue. And remember," his gaze settled on Neji, "killing is allowed but not encouraged. If you can subdue your opponent without killing him or her do so." A sharp burst of killing intent, also aimed primarily at Neji, was emitted to help get the point across. "Now, if all the combatants besides Araiki Naruto and Hyuga Neji would report to the training area we can begin the first match."

As the rest of the chuunin-hopefuls climbed the stairs Naruto and Neji were left alone on the floor. They stood across from each other, both staring unflinchingly into his opponent's eyes. Tension and killing intent filled the air, felt even by some of the audience members in the lower seats. There was a rash of people suddenly leaving to head to the bathroom or concessions and even Genma had to suppress a slight shiver that ran along his spine.

Higher up in the stands, Hyuga Hanabi sat next to her father and clan head Hyuga Hiashi. "Father, is that him?"

"Yes. Araiki Naruto, formerly Uzumaki Naruto, bearer of To-Remu Yajuuki, former Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, son of the late Yondaime Hokage, and the second target the night of your sister's attempted kidnapping. Quite an impressive list for one so young."

"Can Neji defeat him?"

"Neji is a genius, a true prodigy of the Jyuken style. He will not lose. Besides, the Byakugan is the superior of any bloodline hastily created through seals." Beside him, Hanabi nodded slightly before turning her attention to the match below.

"Finally," Neji said, his voice just loud enough to carry to Naruto, "fate has finally provided me with the opportunity to avenge my family, my father. I will defeat you today, fate has decreed it."

"We make our own fate Neji; it's a fact that has already been proven in my life," traces of anger leaked into Naruto's tone as he continued, "Today, I'll see if I can open those eyes you're so proud of to that fact."

They were interrupted as Genma's amplified voice echoed throughout the arena, "Begin."

Neji wasted little time, the bulging veins around his eyes denoting the activation of his Byakugan as he charged Naruto with breathtaking speed. He expected the boy to leap away, keep his distance and avoid the dangerous Jyuken strikes. Instead he stood his ground, slipping into his taijutsu stance as Megurushi no To-Remu flared to life on his skin. Those events happened near simultaneously, and it was a fraction of a second later that Neji got his first good luck at Naruto's chakra system. He couldn't help but feel a bit of unease at what he saw.

But then they were upon each other. The civilians watching the match couldn't even follow the series of blows that ensued, even many of the shinobi couldn't. Those that could found themselves enraptured in the deadly dance. Everything was a blur to Naruto as he reacted on instinct and reflex. He ducked under one palm thrust, spinning aside to avoid the other. Then he lunged out to one side, slapping a hand against the ground to support his weight and slashing the claws of his other across. Neji blocked the attack, but Naruto didn't pause; turning a one-handed cartwheel. The claws of his feet slashed across Neji's chest, only managing to tear a thin line in the boy's jacket as he bent backwards at the waist to avoid the blow. His thoughts became even more blurred as the exchange continued; block, kick, slash, punch, duck, jump, kick. All the while analyzing Neji's strikes, deciding which ones could come through and which blows he couldn't take.

Neji nearly growled in frustration as the two broke away from each other, barely managing to swallow the sound with typical Hyuga stoicism. The brief sense of unease he had felt upon seeing Naruto's chakra system had only grown.

Up in the stands, nearly every Hyuga realized something was wrong as well. Naruto had been struck by several palm strikes, more than enough to disable him. But Naruto was still standing, apparently unaffected by Neji's Jyuken strikes. His curiosity getting the better of him, Hiashi activated his Byakugan to examine the young Araiki. He noticed the differences in Naruto's chakra system almost immediately, the same ones that had Neji so concerned.

Oh, the coils were still the same. It was the chakra itself that was different. Most noticeable was the color, a slate blue instead of the normal brighter hue. He spared the attention to examine Yugito's as well, finding it to be a yellow-orange. The differing color was obviously related to their bloodline, as it was the same color of their respective Megurushi no To-Remu and other aspects of the bloodline. While it was certainly interesting and worthy of later consideration, it wasn't the color alteration that bothered him the most.

Naruto's chakra didn't flow.

**Author's Note: I realize that some of you may disagree with the plan to intentionally reveal the capabilities of To-Remu Yajuuki during the finals. However, the Byakugan would be able to figure out much of what's not already known anyways. Particularly since it concerns chakra circulation, as you can tell from the end of this chapter. Besides, I think that all of the points Akana are well-thought out and valid. Bloodlines can go a long way towards enhancing a village's reputation, but only if people outside the village know about them. Besides, can you really say you don't want to learn more about the bloodline? Next time, To-Remu Yajuuki Revealed.**

**Translations:**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**


	15. Chapter 14: ToRemu Yajuuki Revealed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Up in the stands, nearly every Hyuga realized something was wrong. Naruto had been struck by several palm strikes, more than enough to disable him. But he was still standing, apparently unaffected by Neji's Jyuken strikes. His curiosity getting the better of him, Hiashi activated his Byakugan to examine the young Araiki. He noticed the differences in Naruto's chakra system almost immediately, the same ones that now had Neji so concerned.

Oh, the coils were still the same. It was the chakra itself that was different. Most noticeable was the color, a slate blue instead of the normal brighter hue. He had spared the attention to examine Yugito's as well, finding it to be a yellow-orange. The differing color was obviously related to their bloodline, as it was the same color of their respective Megurushi no To-Remus and other aspects of the bloodline. While certainly interesting and worthy of later consideration, it wasn't the color alteration that bothered him.

Naruto's chakra didn't flow. It simply stayed still in the coils until Naruto needed it. Then it flowed over his skin to form Megurushi no To-Remu, moved to his limbs to increase their speed and strength, and theoretically moved anywhere else Naruto wanted it to. Most importantly, its movement was completely unaffected by his Jyuken strikes. He could guess why easily enough. Jyuken was meant to obstruct tenketsu, disrupting the natural flow of chakra. It would be like placing a wall on a slope to stop a ball that was rolling downhill. But Naruto's chakra didn't flow naturally, it moved deliberately. It was like the ball altering its course to avoid the wall. In short, his Jyuken seemed to be completely ineffective at blocking Naruto's chakra points.

Naruto seemed to be well aware of this. He had been highly selective in blocking Neji's attacks. All those aimed at an organ or nerve cluster had been blocked or avoided. Those aimed at tenketsu the blonde left alone, which also indicated a deep knowledge of his chakra system. The blows Naruto had let through would have crippled any ordinary opponent by now, shutting down most of their chakra system and leaving them barely able to stand. Naruto had endured them without the slightest hint of concern. "Your chakra, it doesn't move."

"Correct."

"It's unaffected by my Jyuken strikes to your tenketsu."

"Yeah, my chakra doesn't flow like a normal person's. You're glimpsing how To-Remu Yajuuki works instead of just its effects."

"How it works?"

"Yes, just like the Byakugan works by having a better eye that can perceive more than that of an average human. That's the mechanism behind your kekkai genkai, how it works. To-Remu Yajuuki has one as well."

"I assume you wouldn't be saying this unless you planned to tell me what it was."

"And here I thought they called you a genius for no reason. The root cause of the To-Remu Yajuuki bloodline occurs in our chakra. It's sentient, self-aware."

"That's impossible."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow, "I must disagree with you."

"Chakra has no physical form, no mind. It can't be self-aware."

"Of course it can, I can even name several examples. There's the Kyuubi, Nibi, Ichibi, Sanbi…I assume you can see where I'm going by now. Anyways, like I said, wielders of To-Remu Yajuuki have a sentient chakra system. It's animalistic in nature, the species apparently varying from person to person. Mine is a fox, Yugito-chan's is a cat. We refer to our chakra as our Totem Spirit. Having these Totem Spirits leads to several interesting effects, not the least of which is that our chakra moves purposefully. It doesn't flow throughout our body, it stays still until we wish to use it. It moves solely according to my will, or rarely that of someone trying to affect my chakra system.

This leads to a few effects that function constantly. It is extremely difficult to affect us with genjutsu, seeing as how the chakra in our brains doesn't flow like it does in most people. None of our chakra is wasted due to the endless circulation, effectively making it appear that our reserves are larger than they actually are. Additionally, very little of our chakra diffuses into the environment. That makes it more difficult for others to sense our chakra signature, while making it much easier for us to sense the signature of others. It also seems to remember how the demonic chakra healed our cells when we were still Jinchuuriki, granting us a regeneration factor. And that's just what it does automatically.

When we consciously activate our bloodline, well," he motioned to his arms, drawing attention to the tribal designs covering them, "you've already seen Megurushi no To-Remu. It enhances speed, strength, reflexes, senses, gives me claws…overall makes me more animalistic, more feral. Chakra also rises to the skin, forming the patterns you see here. They act as a substitute for hand seals, allowing us to activate the later two stages of our bloodline without them.

Next comes the second stage, they're collectively referred to as Yousu no To-Remu. There are many of them, I doubt Yugito-chan and I have even discovered all of them yet. They're tremendously varied, allowing us to adapt to nearly any situation. They can increase speed, strength, senses…and much, much more. Then there's the third stage, but unlike the previous two no one outside of Kumogakure has seen it yet. So I'll keep it secret for now. Don't worry though; I'm sure you'll see it before the day is done."

"You're a fool, giving away all that information. Hasn't anybody ever told you, a ninja's greatest tool is deception."

"Maybe so, but there are times when deception is not the best alternative. Tell me Neji, how much of an effort does Konoha make to keep the Byakugan's abilities secret? One of the greatest strengths a bloodline provides a village in this day and age is to increase its prestige, and it can't do that if it's kept hidden away. To-Remu Yajuuki needed to be revealed. And the Finals of the Chuunin Exams, held to allow the hidden villages to showcase their strength, is the perfect place to do it. And I'm sure by now you've realized the disadvantage that you're at."

"Of course, the Jyuken works by disrupting the natural chakra flow within the body. Your chakra does not flow naturally. It moves autonomously, so the Jyuken will not affect it."

"Exactly, your Jyuken can't shut down my chakra system."

Neji closed his eyes, not that it really mattered with the Byakugan activated. It did help him relax though as his emotions were, admittedly, running quite high. "You shouldn't get overconfident. That facet of your bloodline only protects your tenketsu from my Jyuken. Your organs are still open to attack; they're what I will have to focus on. And damaging them is much more deadly than closing tenketsu." In truth, he was rather pleased with that conclusion.

"True enough, but the Jyuken relies on finesse; finely controlled chakra bursts that move through tissue to reach their target." Naruto's chakra suddenly flared, forming a fox-like silhouette complete with tail. "So the question that remains is whether it has enough brute force to bull through the protection afforded to me by Mantoru no To-Remu."

Neji bit back a curse. Jyuken could pass through armor of course, there were countless documentations of it being done. It had even been known to go through armor being reinforced with chakra. But this was different. Passing through matter, even matter made more durable by chakra, was one thing. Chakra and matter were very different in nature. It would be like sliding a knife through water, or maybe through thick goo in the case of armor reinforced with chakra. Trying to pierce pure chakra though…knives didn't slide very well through steel. Naruto smirked as he watched Neji draw a pair of kunai from the holster on his thigh. "I'll take that as a no."

"Father," traces of worry were evident in Hanabi's voice from her position in the stands, "the Araiki's bloodline seems well-suited towards counteracting Jyuken. Can Neji defeat him?"

Hiashi frowned, "It won't be easy. The small bursts of chakra used in Jyuken are unlikely to pierce the protective field of chakra Naruto is now using. Mantoru no To-Remu should block all but some of the most advanced and unorthodox Jyuken attacks, attacks that Neji does not know."

"So he can't win."

"I never said that. Neji is not considered a genius of our clan for nothing; he's already found a way around it. Even if his Jyuken is ineffective the Byakugan still grants a detailed view of a foe's anatomy. Neji has trained the entirety of his life to be able to strike precisely; his aim will hardly suffer because he is using kunai instead of his palms. And a chakra shield like that is not sufficient to completely block steel. The fight may be out of Neji's comfort zone, but as of now it's far from over. Though I must admit, the third stage of To-Remu Yajuuki that Naruto mentioned may put the battle beyond Neji's reach should it be used."

Neji rushed Naruto again, his flashing kunai leading the way. Naruto noticed that Neji was a little more unsure of himself now, more hesitant. And when the attacks came with the kunai, they were a bit awkward. Neji was clearly used to attacking with the Jyuken and his straightforward palm thrusts, but the stances and strikes of Jyuken weren't suited nearly as well for stabbing and slashing with a kunai. In short, Neji's taijutsu wouldn't be anywhere near the level it was usually at so long as he was forced to use those kunai. It was a situation that Naruto was determined to exploit.

Naruto spun to the side, avoiding the first kunai by the width of a hair. He jumped over the second, twisting in mid-air to line up a strike aimed at Neji's temple. Neji brought his arm up, catching the blow on his wrist. Naruto pushed off, using the block to get higher into the air. He flashed through a few quick seals, taking a deep breath. "Fuuton: Daitoppa!"

The blast of wind hammered into the ground, making Neji struggle to retain his footing. It kicked up a lot of dust and, more importantly, chakra rich wind. The amount of chakra in the blast was intense enough to obstruct Neji's vision, causing him to temporarily lose sight of Naruto. By the time Neji's vision had cleared there were five Narutos. They all had chakra coils, each with the same differences as Naruto's. Four of them also seemed to have a membrane of lightning chakra under the skin, although he couldn't be certain through the chakra shroud of Mantoru no To-Remu. They had to be some sort of clones, based off of the lightning element. What was of more concern was their arrangement. They had surrounded him, standing on the points of a star in which he was the center. It put them in a position where they could each fire a ranged attack at him without endangering any of the other Narutos present, and that's just what they were doing.

The five Narutos finished their last hand sign, feeling the wind gather once more. As one, all five of him released it with a cry, "Fuuton: Kaze Yaiba!" Neji's eyes narrowed slightly in concern. The blades were well-thrown, slightly staggered and at varying height. There was no way he'd be able to dodge them all. He had no choice, he had to hope that he could get the technique to work properly this time.

Neji slid one foot back, spreading his hands around him. Then he erupted into a sudden spin, emitting chakra from every one of his tenketsu as he did so. The chakra formed a protective sphere around the young Hyuga, stopping the blades before they could reach him.

Naruto, the real one, raised an eyebrow. "The Kaiten, I'm impressed. Though I must admit, I didn't think your clan taught it to branch members."

"They don't, I figured it out myself. Fate gave me the ability to learn it so I could defeat you."

"There you go rambling on about fate again. You act as though it was given to you, dropped in your lap. Figuring out a technique like that on your own, it's nothing short of amazing. I imagine it took a lot of skill, a lot of knowledge, and most importantly, a lot of hard work. You learned that move because you wanted to, because you pushed yourself to figure it out on your own. Fate has nothing to do with it."

Neji opened his mouth to retort, but closed it again as the five Narutos charged towards him. Neji's first instinct was to use the Kaiten again in order to destroy the clones. He bit back the urge; Naruto had staggered the approach of his doppelgangers. Sure the Kaiten would eliminate a few, but when it ended he'd be unaware of his surroundings for a critical moment. He had no doubt that that moment was all Naruto would need to end the fight. Instead he ducked the first strike and struck out low, forcing the clone to jump over him to avoid the attack.

He realized that he was lucky as he spun away from the second clone. Their taijutsu was inferior to that of the original. He came out of his spin with a thrust of the kunai, hitting the third clone in the arm. It dispelled with a burst of charged electricity. It wasn't enough to harm him, but was definitely enough to distract him for a bit. It cost him, as he was unable to completely avoid the next Naruto. Neji jerked backwards to avoid the brunt of the attack, but was still left with four bloody gashes as Naruto's claws sliced through the sleeve of his jacket. He did manage to avoid the final Naruto and tag him with a kunai, dispelling another clone.

Neji turned, assuming his Jyuken stance as he faced the remaining three Narutos. "You can't charge me all at once with your clones because the Kaiten will dispel them. And they're not as good as you are in taijutsu so they won't last against me in close-combat. You can't win with them." The real Naruto flashed a feral grin, one that left even Neji a bit uneasy, and charged forward. Neji set himself to meet the charge, only to have Naruto dive aside at the last second. Neji's eyes widened in surprise as he saw the wind blade that was behind the dodging Araiki.

He dove frantically to the side, earning a shallow gash across his ribs as the attack flashed by. Neji had to admit that the last attack was clever. The chakra Naruto emitted with his Mantoru no To-Remu was opaque to the Byakugan by the time he reached the layer on the far side of the Araiki's body. Naruto had realized this, and used himself as a visual block while charging Neji. It was timed perfectly, with Naruto moving at the last possible second to give Neji as little time to react as possible. It had come dangerously close to working. Naruto's grin had a bit of triumph to it as he spoke again, "Those clones aren't as useless as you seem to think."

"Cheap tricks won't win this fight for you."

"In the hands of a true shinobi a cheap trick can be more devastating than the mightiest of jutsus. That Kaze Yaiba was more effective against you than any Fuuryudan would have been."

"Fate-"

"Enough about fate already! I'm sick of hearing you spout that nonsense. There is no all-powerful being up there deciding how a fight ends up, no one deciding to make some people's lives miserable. We determine our own destinies, no one else. If I defeat you it's because I was better than you; I trained harder, I got more out of training, I had more natural talent, I came up with a better strategy, whatever! Despite your spiel about how you're fated to win this match you're the one bleeding, you're the one wounded. I'm fine, and your Jyuken is practically useless against me. Yeah," Naruto's tone took on an edge of biting sarcasm, "you really seem fated to win this match."

"You have no idea what I've been through!" Neji ripped his headband off, revealing the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead, "At the age of-"

"I know exactly what you've been through. My village knows how that seal works, and an important chunk of your personal history is closely related to my own. I must say, I'm disappointed in how you've handled yourself. You haven't even put up a fight, haven't tried to change anything. You've just convinced yourself that it's all pre-determined, that it's fate. You've convinced yourself of that because you're too much of a coward to try to change anything."

"What would you know about hardship? You were taken to Kumogakure, they gave you a new bloodline. I bet you grew up pampered, wanting for nothing. Fate has treated you kindly."

Naruto gave a harsh laugh, "Had it easy, my father gave his life to seal a demon in me the day I was born, the same day my biological mother died. The village hated me for it, I was despised by the home that I had saved. And you think fate has been kind to me? No, it's been the actions of people that have changed my life for the better."

"Enough, this is get us nowhere." Neji hefted his kunai, settling back into an approximation of the Jyuken stance. "It's time to finish this fight."

"For once I agree with you." Naruto charged, closing the distance in an instant. He jumped, avoiding the first kunai strike. To avoid the second he grabbed Neji by the wrist, using it to twist himself around and dodge the kunai. He also took the opportunity to drive his knee into the side of Neji's head. Neji stumbled back in a daze, unable to react fast enough to avoid Naruto's next strike. Naruto spun as he came down, his foot lashing out and catching Neji square in the chest. Neji was sent tumbling away, his chest sporting another set of cuts from the claws on Naruto's feet.

He wasn't on the ground long, scrambling back to his feet and swinging a kunai to meet Naruto's charge. Naruto's hand chopped down on Neji's wrist with bone-jarring force, knocking the kunai free. The young Araiki spun in a tight circle. His elbow lashed out, catching Neji in the side of the head again. As the spin continued his other elbow shot back, burying itself in Neji's gut. He tried to right himself, to regain some semblance of a defensive posture as he drew a kunai to replace the one he had lost; but then the ground erupted in front of him. It was the pair of clones from earlier, whom even Neji had lost track of during the melee exchange. They had obviously burrowed into the ground, and now shot out of it, each grabbing Neji by the arm. That done, they went straight back underground, dragging Neji's arms down with them.

The prodigy was slammed face down to the dirt, his arms trapped below the ground. He raised his head to find Naruto standing calmly a few feet away. "Tell me Neji, have you ever heard of the fate of Jinchuuriki."

"No."

"Jinchuuriki tend to live hard lives, feared by those around them for what they contain. It's been a relative constant throughout the lives of practically every known Jinchuuriki. It's also what helped lead to the kidnapping attempt ten years ago.

I suppose you could say it all started when the hidden villages were young, your Shodai Hokage used his Mokuton abilities to gather the nine bijuu. He distributed some of them to the other early hidden villages in efforts to maintain peace between the villages. Kumogakure was given Nibi no Nekomata. It was sealed in an iron sphere and locked away deep inside a vault in the Raikage's Tower where it was left untouched for generations. Then Kumogakure was betrayed.

An ANBU was paid off, supposedly by another village. While he was guarding the vault that held the Nibi he entered and attempted to release Nibi. He was killed by one of the traps in the room, but not before managing to severely weaken the seal. He turned that iron orb into a time bomb, it wouldn't be able to contain the Nibi for much longer. How much longer, no one knew for certain. It's extremely difficult to seal a bijuu into an inanimate object, much harder than it is to seal it into a person and their chakra coils. The village didn't have time to set up a ritual to fix the seal, or to seal the Nibi into another non-living object. They did have a baby. That night the Nibi no Nekomata was sealed into an infant Nii Yugito to avoid its release into the heart of Kumogakure. Barely a day old and she was already a hero for saving her village from a bijuu, much like myself a scant three weeks earlier.

Unfortunately, the similarities in our early lives hadn't ended yet. Like me she was hated by her village, hated for containing the Nibi no Nekomata. They didn't care that she had saved the village, just that she held a demon. Fortunately for the both of us however, Yugito-chan still had family. Most importantly, in this story, was her Grandfather Nii Katsuyo." He paused for a moment, seeing the recognition in Neji's eyes, "I see you recognize the name, not surprising seeing as how he was Kumogakure's ambassador to Konohagakure.

More than anybody else Katsuyo-san regretted the sacrifice that Yugito-chan was forced to make, he would have done anything to free her from her burden. He had already known quite a bit about sealing. But he proceeded to throw himself headlong into the study of fuinjutsu, trying to find a way to remove the Nibi without killing Yugito-chan. It took him a year and a half, but he managed it. He created a ritual that could separate Yugito-chan from the Nibi so long as it was performed before she turned three. There was only one problem, he needed a second jinchuuriki of approximately the same age for it to work.

Kumogakure's intelligence network only knew of one other Jinchuuriki that was the right age, me. He developed a plot to kidnap me and presented it to Kumo's council and the Raikage. They were reluctant to accept it, unwilling to risk the political backlash for a ritual that might not even work. So, to sweeten the deal he suggested kidnapping the Hyuga heir as well. With that change added in the plan passed.

He led a three-man team down to Konoha. He was in charge, acting as Kumo's ambassador. Kaa-san was one of the two shinobi under his command. Originally Kaa-san was supposed to attempt to kidnap Hinata. She was the more heavily guarded target and Kaa-san was a lot younger, a stronger ninja. Katsuyo changed things at the last moment though, opting to go after Hinata himself and send Kaa-san to get me. He didn't care who the council set as the primary target, he was just worried about his granddaughter.

Well, I'm sure you know how it turned out. Hiashi killed Katsuyo while he was trying to escape the Hyuga compound. My own kidnapping wasn't discovered until three days later. Yugito-chan and I gained a bloodline by losing our bijuu and, regrettably, your father died in the political aftermath.

Things could have been very different. I would have grown up as a hated jinchuuriki in Konoha, and Yugito would have done the same in Kumogakure. We probably wouldn't even know each other. Instead, we've grown up as beloved figures in Kumogakure because of To-Remu Yajuuki. Although that can admittedly get annoying at times. I've known, and trained, with her as long as I can remember. So many changes that I can think of, and likely many more that I couldn't even begin to guess at. All those changes, because Nii Katsuyo wasn't willing to accept that his granddaughter was fated to live a life of misery. All those changes because one man was willing to defy fate. It makes me wonder what you'd be able to do if you grew a backbone."

The brief surge of lightning chakra in the air was Naruto's only warning. Neji had done, something, to dispel his clones. He didn't react quite fast enough as Neji pulled his arm free of the earth and launched the pair of kunai at him. His jump was a fraction of a second too late. One of the kunai was evaded cleanly. The other crashed against his Mantoru no To-Remu, puncturing it and drawing a thin line of blood across his thigh. If it wasn't for his protective technique, that could have been a serious wound.

Neji was upon him the moment he hit the ground, his arms a blur as he launched a rapid series of slashes at the young Araiki with a fresh pair of kunai. Naruto backpedaled frantically, with his weight on his heels he wasn't in position to offer any effective counterattacks. Still he wasn't too worried. Neji was shaken, his head not in the fight anymore. As soon as the momentum of the charge wore off the fight was over.

It didn't take long. Neji overextended on a slash, causing him to lurch slightly as he lost his balance for a split second. Naruto was inside his reach in a flash. One hand slapped away the closest kunai, knocking it to the ground. He brought his knee up, smashing it into to Neji's gut. Naruto was already moving again as Neji stumbled back. He advanced with a spin, his backhand strike catching Neji in the spine. The young Hyuga was launched forward, crashing into the ground where he lay unmoving. Genma walked over, giving Neji a brief examination. "Winner, Araiki Naruto."

Much of the crowd erupted into cheers, seeing Naruto more as the Yondaime's son than as a shinobi of their hated foe. He raised his hand in a brief wave acknowledging the cheers as he made his way back to the contestant's box. He offered a nod and a smile to Lee, who was spouting about how youthful the match was, and headed over to Yugito. "Think I got through to him?"

"I suppose we'll find out in time. For now, let's watch the next fight." Even as she spoke the call went out for Shikamaru and Temari to report down to the Arena.

Further up in the stands, Hyuga Hiashi watched as the medic-nin carried his nephew out of the Arena. He climbed out of his seat. "Watch the matches carefully Hanabi. There are talented shinobi competing here, and much can be learned from observation."

"Where are you going father?"

"I must speak with Neji."

Neji heard the med-nin talking to someone through the curtains surrounding his bed. "Fortunately, his injuries weren't very severe. The cuts weren't too deep so treating them was a relatively simple matter. The shot to the spine was worse than it looked as well. The blow compressed his spinal chord slightly, causing temporary paralysis. It has been tended to and he should be fine, though he would be well-advised to avoid strenuous activity for a few days."

"Very well, thank you." Neji recognized that voice, Hyuga Hiashi. He leaned back into his bed, wondering what his clan head wanted. Considering that he had just lost a rebuke seemed likely. The curtains were pushed aside, revealing Hiashi.

"Hiashi-sama," Neji said while reclining his head in as close an approximation to a bow as he could achieve given his position, "forgive me for not bowing. The medics have told me that I should not get out of bed."

"Of course," Hiashi reached into his robes, pulling out a scroll which he held out to Neji. The young Hyuga glanced down, noticing his father's handwriting on the scroll.

"That's, from my father."

"Yes, Hizashi wished for you to learn the truth after you came of age. Given the circumstances, however, I think it would be best for you to know now."

Neji reached out, tentatively accepting the scroll from Hiashi. He unrolled it, his eyes scanning its contents.

_My son,_

_I regret that I must write this letter, and that I could not have been a bigger part of your life. I'm sure I would be proud of the man you have become. You were always an intelligent child, and a prodigy of the Jyuken style. I just wish I could have played a larger role in your life._

_No doubt you have learned about Hinata's attempted kidnapping by now, so I will not mention the details here. Kumogakure was not happy with the death of their Ambassador, and has demanded my brother's body in recompense. It is a term Hiashi is willing to meet. But I cannot let him._

_We are twin brothers, our bodies are indistinguishable. Therefore, I am going to offer myself in my brother's stead. The Caged Bird Seal I am branded with will hide the secrets of the Byakugan, protecting both my clan and my village. I cannot, in good conscious, allow them to receive my brother's body and the secret of the Byakugan._

_But that is not why I am sacrificing myself. I am sacrificing my life to forge my own destiny. I have been in the branch family my entire life, subject to the rule of the main house. All my life I have done what I've been told, but no longer. No one ordered me to offer my life, Hiashi seemed shocked by my decision. For the first time in my life I am making my own choice, choosing my own path. I am proving that I am in charge of my own destiny. You can control yours too. Live well, my son._

_Hyuga Hizashi_

Neji simply stared at the letter before reading it again, then a third time. An uneasy silence grew in the room until it was broken by Hiashi, "Your father willingly sacrificed his life to save my own. I owe him a great deal; which I can only repay by helping you, his son. I have refrained from doing so until now because your father did not wish for you to guess the true circumstances of his death."

"That's why you trained me last month isn't it?"

"Yes."

"I thought you just wanted me to defeat Naruto, given what happened."

"I do not blame Naruto for what happened that night. He was only two, and had no choice in the matter. I trained you because I heard about how talented he was, and of the ending of your preliminary match. I wanted to make sure you were ready. Unfortunately his bloodline appears to be well suited to countering much of the Jyuken style." Neji leaned backwards, letting himself fall into the bed. As he laid there his thoughts turned inwards, wondering if perhaps he had been wrong all this time.

Back at the arena, Genma was about to begin the match when the wind suddenly picked up. It swirled around the stadium, gradually increasing with intensity and causing a miniature cyclone of swirling leaves. Then two figures appeared back to back. One was Uchiha Sasuke, dressed in a new solid-black outfit. The other was Kakashi who found himself facing Genma, "Yo."

"You're late, the exams have already started."

"Sorry, Sasuke got lost on the road of life so I had to go find him. Of course, since I'm older than him I'm much further along that road. So I had to backtrack quite a bit to find him, which lead to me getting lost while trying to figure out where we were. Then-"

"Why do you even bother lying about it?"

Kakashi decided to avoid that question, "So, can Sasuke still fight."

"Yes, his match hasn't started yet. It would be nice if you left the arena though, I was about to start the second match."

"Oh, of course." Kakashi performed a quick shunshin, taking Sasuke with him to the contestant's box. Genma sighed, Kakashi could be so frustrating at times. "Now that the interruption is finished the second match can begin. It is between Nara Shikamaru of Konohagakure no Sato and Sabaku no Temari of Sunagakure no Sato. Begin!"

**Author's Notes: Well there you have it, a large chunk of back story and the reason behind the kidnapping attempt. Oh, and some important information about To-Remu Yajuuki as well. To be honest, I'm rather curious as to what you all think about these new revelations. So for this chapter even more than any other, please review.**

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Fuuton: Fuuryudan: Translates to Wind Release: Wind Dragon Blast. A wind version of the Water Dragon Blast used by Zabuza and Kakashi.**

**Kaiten: Translates to Rotation.**


	16. Chapter 15: The Chaos of Combat

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

"Now that the interruption is finished the second match can begin. It is between Nara Shikamaru of Konohagakure no Sato and Sabaku no Temari of Sunagakure no Sato. Begin!"

Shikamaru was on the defensive almost immediately as Temari swung her fan. The raging blast of wind kicked up sand, tore chunks out of trees, and gashed great gouges in the arena wall. Naruto whistled softly under his breath. That was an impressive attack for a gennin. When the dust died down, Shikamaru was nowhere to be found. The Araikis were able to pinpoint him, catching his chakra signature in the bushes near the edge of the arena and well away from Temari's attack. Temari didn't seem to have as much luck in that regard though. She settled for standing still, fan spread beside her. She was waiting patiently for Shikamaru to reveal himself.

Unfortunately for Shikamaru, he couldn't sit still forever. Temari's ears caught the rustling in the bushes as he started to move. Temari spun to face him, raising her fan as she did so. Shikamaru was forced to flee again, vacating the area before the bushes he had been in were reduced to shredded leaves and wood chips. He flashed through a few seals as he moved, preparing his Kagemane no Jutsu. A tendril of his shadow shot out as he landed, stretching towards Temari. She was forced to leap backwards, moving from side to side to avoid the questing tendril of shadow.

The shadow was faster than she was though, and it was with a sinking feeling that she realized it was about to catch her. Then the tendril came to a sudden stop, seemingly unable to advance any further. Temari gave a triumphant smirk as she brought the edge of her fan down, scoring a line in the dirt. "You're shadow can't reach beyond here can it? All I have to do is stay behind this line and you can't reach me." Shikamaru didn't respond, letting his shadow creep back to him. Temari grinned, bringing her fan around for another swing.

Roughly twenty minutes passed as the two combatants settled into a game of cat and mouse. Shikamaru lurked around the edge of the arena, doing an admirable job of concealing himself given the limited area available to him. Whenever Temari did get a hint as to his location though, she responded with another swing of her fan that diced up another part of the arena. Many of the civilians were beginning to grow bored with the fairly uneventful fight, though most of the shinobi were quite interested. Especially impressive to them was Temari's chakra reserves. Her Kamataichi had to take quite a bit of chakra to pull off, and considering the amount of times she had used it…it was impressive for a gennin to say the least.

Then Shikamaru decided to take the initiative once more. His shadow shot away from the wall again, reaching towards Temari. She scoffed slightly; she was still behind her line in the ground so there was no way he could get her. Or so she thought. The shadow reached the line and kept on going, it was only her finely honed reflexes that kept Temari from being caught. She danced back another ten feet before the shadow stopped again. She carved another line into the ground as she scanned the arena, looking to see what had changed.

Her answer came when she saw the glare of the setting sun in her eyes. That was it. It was late afternoon so the sun was starting to descend more quickly towards the horizon. As a result, the shadows were stretching across the stadium. It was only one half of the stadium though; the walls on the other half didn't produce any shadows due to the angle of the sun. She'd have to stay in that area. Temari knew she had to end this fast though, the longer the fight dragged on the farther his reach would be.

As she was musing the tendril of shadow extended once again. Temari was barely able to react in time to dodge. Her eyes swept the stadium, coming to rest as she spotted the new factor that allowed him to extend his shadow; it was about thirty-five feet off the ground. His jacket was slowly floating to earth, tied off to a kunai. She was able to move back far enough to avoid the shadow as it reached its limit once more, but she now had very little of the arena left open to her. She supposed she was lucky though, if he had waited a bit longer his shadow would have been able to cover the entire arena. And unless he felt like running around without pants he wouldn't be able to pull that trick off again. No sooner had that thought run through her head than she felt her body freeze up. "Kagemane no Jutsu success."

Her eyes widened in shock, "How did you…"

She trailed off as Shikamaru motioned towards a small hole in the ground, one with a tendril of shadow reaching into it. "Those holes are from when Naruto's clones reached up from the ground and grabbed Neji. The holes where they went underground are behind you. You were so worried about the shadow you could see that you forgot about the ones you couldn't." He raised his hands positioning them in front of him. Temari was forced to do the same, lining the edge of her now-closed fan with the front of her throat. "That fan of yours looks pretty heavy, must be troublesome to carry around. Must also be heavy enough to collapse your throat; maybe even break your neck."

He lapsed into silence, and Temari realized that he was offering her the chance to surrender. It wasn't like she had much of a choice. "Genma-san," regret and disappointment were evident in her voice, "I would like to concede the match."

"Very well," Shikamaru's shadow receded as Genma continued, "Winner of the second match is Nara Shikamaru. Araiki Yugito and Sai, report down to the arena."

Naruto gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "Time to show them what you've got."

She grinned, "You don't have to worry about that." Planting one hand on the rail she vaulted down to the arena below. Then she had to wait for a while as Sai decided to be more conventional and take the stairs.

When Sai made it down to the arena Genma's gaze shifted between the two combatants, making sure they were both ready. "The fourth match is between Araiki Yugito and Sai. Begin!" Sai reached for the scroll at his hip, but stopped when he saw the speed at which Yugito was approaching. She had activated Shitai no To-Remu and was closing rapidly, not wanting to give him enough time to prepare his drawings. His eyes narrowed slightly in frustration, and he went for his tanto instead of the scroll.

Yugito shifted out of Shitai no To-Remu as she closed within melee range. She went low, skittering under a slash of the tanto and swiping with her claws. Sai leapt back to avoid the first strike, then swept his tanto low to force Yugito to abort her second attempt. Another slash of the tanto forced Yugito to lean backwards. Sai took the opportunity to leap back, trying to put enough distance between the two of them to draw out his scroll. He had no such luck.

Shitai no To-Remu activated again, blurring Yugito's movements as she fell into a back flip before springing at Sai again. The move caught him by surprise, and he was barely able to twist aside and avoid Yugito's aerial tackle. Even so, her claws slashed through his top and carved a series of parallel gashes across his upper chest. He managed to focus through the pain though, completing his aerial acrobatics and slashing with his tanto. Yugito landed with a fine cut along her bicep.

She pouted slightly as she regarded the cut, "You know, Naruto-kun and I had a bet going on who'd get through their fight with the less severe injuries, and since his slashes only cut the skin I guess I've lost." She sighed, "I was looking forward to what I had planned too."

Sai had been inching his hand down towards his scroll as she spoke. When he thought he was close enough his hand blurred into sudden motion, grabbing the scroll and preparing to draw his beasts. But he still didn't fully comprehend Yugito's speed. The scroll was only halfway up when Yugito's kick caught him in the wrist. Sai tumbled backwards, rolling with the blow to avoid having his wrist snapped like a twig. Even so, he was unable to maintain his grip on the scroll. It flew through the air in a graceful arc, eventually landing in Yugito's waiting palm.

She pulled the brush out of its compartment, wasting little time in finding the ink well. As soon as she found the well she inverted it, letting the ink splatter onto the ground below. "I don't really have any intention of letting you draw up those beasts of yours you know. But it's not something I'm going to have to worry about, not with your ink gone." She paused, noting that there was still a thick stream of ink pouring onto the ground. Given the size of the inkwell, it should have run emptied almost immediately.

Sai took advantage of her moment of distraction, covering the distance with a quick shunshin. He had dropped his tanto due to the kick, so he lashed out unarmed. He launched into a quick spin. One foot smashed against her jaw, the other was firmly planted in the pool of ink. His elbow smashed into her gut as he finished the spin, launching her away. He lowered his clean foot to the ground, lifting the ink-stained one then dragging it across the ground in a series of precise strokes. Yugito rolled to her feet just as four animated beasts burst forth from the ground, bearing down on her.

But even as Yugito went flying away she was rapidly going through a series of hand seals. By the time she was done, both of her fists were encased in flames. She pounded them against each other at chest-height. "Katon: Atsuen Hinote!" A ring of fire blasted outwards with Yugito as an epicenter. It caught the incoming beasts, not slowing in the least as they went up in flames and collapsed back into pools of ink. Sai threw up a hastily scrawled ink wall to protect himself from the flames, it soon became apparent that he should have simply leapt over it instead.

The two techniques met in an explosive collision. Sai, being far closer than Yugito, took the brunt of it. He was blasted backwards amongst globs of burning ink. His backward momentum was only arrested as he crashed into the base of the wall. He coughed weakly as he regained his feet, deciding that he'd have to reformulate his ink to make it less flammable. Unfortunately for him, Yugito seemed to have escaped the blast more or less unharmed. He had to scramble to avoid her charge, grimacing as he watched her claws carve deep gouges into the wall.

He had underestimated her speed from the very beginning, and was paying the price for it. Her strategy had been as simple as it was effective, deprive him of the ink that he needed for his jutsu. His scroll with the inkwell was quite a ways away, and Yugito would be in the way if he went for it. The ink that she had poured out was now burning, or already gone. He grimaced as he reached his conclusion; this wasn't a match he could win anymore. He rose unsteadily to his feet, his unnerving smile finding its way back onto his face. "Proctor-san, I would like to concede the match."

"Very well, the winner of the third match is Araiki Yugito." A slightly singed Yugito waved to the cheering crowd before making her way to the stairs leading back to the contestant's booth. She wasted little time in climbing them and made her way over to Naruto, who greeted her with a peck on the cheek.

"Good match, it looks like the speed of Shitai no To-Remu caught him off guard."

"Yeah, it would have been a bit trickier if he had been prepared for it."

"How's your arm?"

"Not too bad. It's a bit deep, but nothing our healing factor won't take care of soon enough. Even immediately after I received it I wasn't slowed down too much."

"It looks deeper than the one I got."

"Yeah," there was a hint of resignation in Yugito's tone, "you won the bet."

Naruto grinned, "This'll be fun. Care to go double or nothing for the next round?"

She thought back to what she had heard of Naruto's previous fight with Shikamaru, then thought about how her next opponent could very well be Gaara. "Not a chance."

Down below, Sasuke and Gaara began their fight. Gaara just stood there in his usual impassive stance. Sasuke ran forward, closing in on Gaara. His sand, predictably, rose in front of him to form a protective shield. That was when Sasuke disappeared in a burst of speed. Gaara's face bore a look of surprise as his sand was barely able to move fast enough to block a handful of kicks that were thrown in the next few seconds. It wasn't fast enough to stop the punch that caught him in the jaw. Gaara was sent flying, knocked off his feet by the force of the blow. His sand rose to cushion his fall. It also rose to his face, filling in a spider web pattern of cracks.

Sasuke was in a low crouch some fifteen feet away, the Sharingan spinning in his eyes. "You keep a layer of sand close to your body, using it as a last resort. I'm going to have to tear it off of you." Sasuke shot forward again. Gaara's sand did the same, tendrils of it lashing out at Sasuke as he approached. Sasuke dodged and rolled, his Sharingan aiding him in avoiding the sand. He ducked under the last tendril of sand, finally close enough to attack. His fist lashed out, catching Gaara with a backhand strike that snapped Gaara's head around. He followed with a kick that smashed into Gaara's chest before being forced to leap away to avoid the swirling sand.

Sasuke charged in again as soon as he regained his balance. Gaara's sand rose again, not even trying to react to Sasuke this time. Instead, it started to form a protective sphere around him. Sasuke was unable to get to Gaara before the shield formed, and his fist smacked uselessly against the wall of sand. Then he was frantically dodging, avoiding the spikes of sand that shot forth from the wall in attempt to impale him. The spikes kept coming, forcing Sasuke to give ground freely. Even after the spikes stopped Sasuke continued retreating, moving halfway up the arena's walls to ensure that he was out of their range.

Satisfied that he had enough distance between himself and the dangerous sand, Sasuke went through a quick series of hand signs before clutching his wrist. A chirping sound filled the stadium as lightning wreathed the Uchiha's hand. Naruto recognized the jutsu immediately, the Chidori. It was a well-known, if rarely discussed, jutsu back home in Kumogakure. The village that prided itself on its Raiton techniques was a bit resentful that such a powerful Raiton jutsu was developed and now used exclusively by Konoha-nin. Needless to say, it was a sore topic.

Back down on the field, Sasuke charged down the wall. He had his hand dragging along it, slicing through the tough stone with ease. He didn't even slow down as he reached the arena floor, continuing his charge with the chidori tearing through the soft loam. As he closed in on the sand sphere lances of sand shot out, seeking to impale the Uchiha before he could close within striking distance. Sasuke ducked and wove, maintaining his forward charge while avoiding the attacks. At one point he even used the chidori to destroy an incoming lance to protect himself from harm. Then he reached the sphere. Not hesitating for an instant, he brought his hand up and plunged the chidori through the sand barrier. For a moment nothing happened.

Gaara was pressed against the far wall of his sphere of sand, having figured out the direction that Sasuke's attack would come from. His eyes changed, becoming gold and blue, as he watched the chidori flare just inches from his shoulder. He felt his sand covering his arm, coating and strengthening it as Shakaku's influence began to rise to the surface.

In the contestants' booth Yugito and Naruto shared uneasy glances, both sensing the increasing amounts of demonic chakra in the air. Then they felt something else too, the subtle influence of a genjutsu trying to worm its way into their senses. Now Naruto was getting a bit worried. A quick fluctuation of his chakra broke the genjutsu, and he looked around to see most of the audience falling asleep throughout the stadium. Then all hell broke loose.

A smoke bomb erupted up in the Kages' Box, causing several disguised ANBU to rush to the area. At the same time, several more audience members rose and threw off their disguises. The newly revealed Oto-nin rushed forward to battle the surprised Konoha-nin who had managed to shake off the genjutsu. Two Oto-nin moved to attack the contestants' booth, with Naruto positioning himself to intercept.

Yugito was about to move to assist him when she felt someone behind her. Megurushi no To-Remu activated as she spun to the side, avoiding Temari's fan as it smashed into the ground where she had just been standing. Temari bit back a curse. She was a long range fighter, ill-suited to the close combat in which the Araikis seemed to excel. Now that her sneak attack had failed, this wasn't a fight she stood a chance in. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, she fled the area before Yugito could turn and return the attack.

Temari's attack did, however, force Naruto to meet the two Oto-nin alone. He raised his forearm to block the punch offered by his first foe, then twisted away to avoid a kick from the second. He was forced to push away from the first Oto-nin as he slashed at Naruto with a kunai. This left Naruto off-balance, forcing him to turn his backward momentum into a back flip. But one of his hands it the side of Lee's back, causing Naruto to lurch to the side and stumble while regaining his footing.

The Oto-nin rushed forward to press the attack. Naruto was forced to retreat, giving ground freely until he bumped against the back rail. The Oto-nin smirked beneath their masks. There was no way he'd be able to react in time to block their next attacks. But one thing left them uneasy, Naruto didn't appear to be the least bit worried. "Konoha Senpuu!"

Naruto ducked as both Oto-nin flew overhead, sent flying by Lee's spinning kick. He grinned at the spandex-clad youth, whom he had freed from the genjutsu during that brief moment of contact during the back flip. "Thanks for the assist Lee."

"You are most welcome Naruto-kun. Why were you being attacked?"

"The whole damn stadium's under attack. Someone cast a genjutsu over the audience, then a bunch of Oto-nin attacked. Their village must be attacking."

"Suna too," both gennin turned to see Yugito approaching them, "Temari tried to take me out from behind. It looks like they betrayed Konoha and allied with Oto."

"How unyouthful of them!"

"Umm, yeah," she shot a glance over to Naruto, "I guess we were just lucky enough to get caught in the crossfire."

"Yeah, and we're not about to let the Oto-nin kill any innocent villagers."

"My thoughts exactly." Their exchange was cut short as they felt a sudden surge of demonic chakra. They turned just in time to see Gaara's protective sphere explode in a shower of sand. What was revealed couldn't be called entirely human. Gaara was the same from the waist down. But the rest of him, it was covered in gold and blue sand whose form was reminiscent of a tanuki. Genma moved to confront him, but was cut off as Baki appeared down on the field. Gaara crouched slightly, both of his monstrous hands digging into the ground. Then he leapt, easily clearing the stadium's roof in a single bound. Sasuke wasted little time in leaping after him in hot pursuit. "Idiot," she muttered, "he's going to get himself killed." She turned to see Naruto staring at the section of the roof over which Gaara had disappeared, a determined look on his face. "You can't seriously be considering…"

"What's the other option, letting him loose on a village of civilians? The other shinobi here are too busy securing the stadium to go after him. He's already shown an interest in us, so with luck he'll focus on us instead of going on rampage. Besides, we can suppress Bijuu."

Yugito frowned, that was certainly true in theory. Their chakra system was essentially a chakra construct, much the same as a bijuu. Theoretically they could influence a bijuu using the same methods they used to control their Totem Spirits. But the key concept in all of this was that it was all theory, not practice. They had never actually tried to suppress a bijuu before. Still, she could tell from the look on his face that he wasn't about to be dissuaded. Besides, she wasn't exactly comfortable with turning a raging bijuu loose on a bunch of civilians either. "Fine, let's go."

Naruto grinned, pausing a moment to disrupt the genjutsu on Shino and Shikamaru. Satisfied that they'd be able to awaken the rest of the contestants, he leapt off in pursuit of Gaara. The crazed Jinchuuriki wasn't terribly difficult to track; a blind man could have followed the trail of damaged buildings that Gaara had left in his wake. They felt a surge of chakra from the cursed seal as they finally pulled within sight of Gaara. Sasuke's skin was covered in those black markings as he used a Chidori to flay Gaara's monstrous arm. The attack ran its course all the way up the arm before nailing Gaara in the shoulder. Not that the boy even seemed to notice. He simply spun, bringing his other arm around to smash into Sasuke's back. The young Uchiha was sent flying, skipping along a street before coming to a stop. He lay motionless while Gaara turned to face the new arrivals.

His grin was as maniacal as ever, and when he spoke his voice was just as twisted as the rest of his body. "So you have come. Now, I will prove my existence." He pushed off with both his hands, hurtling forward with startling speed. The Araikis leapt to either side, avoiding Gaara's arm as it smashed through the roof they had been standing on. They exchanged concerned glances as they moved away from the impact zone. He could certainly swing those arms around quickly. To make matters worse they had excellent reach and power behind them as well. Close combat with Gaara would certainly be a dangerous prospect.

"Ready to suppress it Yugito-chan?"

She came to a halt as Naruto landed beside her, "I just hope this works." Both Kumo-nin grew visibly relaxed, their breathing slowing as they entered a meditative state. They felt their awareness expand, until they could feel the crazed presence of Shakaku. Both Araikis exerted their will, trying to calm down the raging Bijuu. They could feel it beginning to work, the emotions rolling off of the Ichibi becoming less violent. For a second, the Araikis believed that they'd be able to pull it off. Then something seemed to snap. A palpable wave of rage blasted outwards, shattering the tenuous connection the Araikis had forged. The blast of rage was followed with one of a more physical nature. Discs of sand shot out of Gaara's arm, slamming into the Araikis like hammer blows and sending them tumbling backwards.

Naruto took one to the temple, dazing him as Gaara bore down once more. He felt Yugito grab him by the collar, her Shitai no To-Remu blazing as she pulled him clear of the latest impact zone. He managed to land on his feet as they hit the next rooftop, the cobwebs already clearing from his head. He winced as he saw Gaara's arm crash down onto the rooftop, knowing all too well that if Yugito hadn't gotten him out of there the results would have been rather painful. "So much for suppressing it," she muttered, "got any other ideas?"

Naruto motioned to the chakra of Shitai no To-Remu coating her skin, activating his own as well. "Speed, we're going to have to be moving fast in order to keep avoiding him like this. It's going to take a pretty powerful attack to break through that layer of sand on his torso too, but I think I can manage that." He glanced down at his hand as he spoke, wondering if he'd be able to get the Rasengan down correctly this time. Then he glanced around, taking note of the growing number of shattered buildings in the area. "I just hope they don't mind a bit of collateral damage." Then they were moving again, rolling to the side as Gaara's fist punched through the rooftop they were standing on.

Both Araikis flashed through a series of seals as they flanked Gaara. "Fuuton: Kaze Yaiba!"

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" Gaara merely raised his arms, using them as shields. The attacks impacted against them harmlessly, leaving no noticeable damage. As soon as the attacks were done he lashed out again, aiming for both Naruto and Yugito. Neither attack landed. Both Araikis had expected the counterattack, and with Shitai no To-Remu active had plenty of time to avoid it. Naruto rolled behind Gaara with a kunai in hand, explosive tag wrapped around the handle. He was preparing to thrust the kunai into Gaara's unprotected thigh when a tail suddenly erupted out of Gaara's sand armor.

Naruto immediately planted his feet and leapt, barely avoiding a sweep of the tail. Noting Gaara's spin to bring one of his arms around for a devastating strike Naruto planted both hands on the Jinchuuriki's back and pushed off, leaving the kunai implanted in the sand. He curled into a ball in mid-air, activating Mantoru no To-Remu to shield himself from the blast. His precaution was well-founded.

He was forced to detonate the note early in order to prevent Gaara from getting a shot in, leaving him well within the blast radius. The blast sent Gaara flying past Yugito, who had been shielded by Gaara's impressive bulk. Naruto skidded off the edge of the roof, just managing to catch the lip with one hand and flip himself back over. He was already flashing through a long series of seals when he landed, Yugito running through a similar set. As Gaara rose to the level of the rooftops once more he was met with twin dragons, one of blazing flames and the other of shredding wind. The two dragons collided and, much the same as they had in the Forest of Death, exploded in a spectacular blast of flame.

Both Araikis had their concentration pushed to its limit, doing their best to keep the destruction limited to as small an area as possible. Even so, the blast decimated several buildings and left many others in flames. Naruto was breathing hard, fatigued from the effort spent to contain that explosive reaction. Yugito was in a similar state, and glanced over at him. "Think we got him?"

"Should have, only half of him was covered so he must have taken quite a bit of damage. I'd be surprised if he's still standing." The smoke died down as he spoke, and it was with a sinking feeling that he made out the distinct outline of a bulky figure standing near the epicenter of the blast. "Consider me surprised." As the dust fully settled the Araikis saw that the sand had expanded to fully cover Gaara's figure, turning him into a miniature version of what he could only assume was Shakaku. He launched himself at them again, noticeably faster than before.

As was fast becoming habit Naruto and Yugito leapt away. But there was a problem with habits, they were predictable. And in battle, predictability was a very dangerous thing. Gaara's arm shot out, lengthening in mid-air and grabbing onto a building. He used it to swing himself around, altering trajectory so that he descended on Yugito from above. She saw him coming, but unlike Gaara had no opportunity to alter her flight. All she could do was activate Mantoru no To-Remu and cross her arms in front of her to accept the hit, and what a hit it was. Gaara's arm swung in an over handed arc, catching Yugito with a brutal hammer fist strike.

She cried out in pain at the impact, something Naruto hadn't heard her do in seven years. He could only stare helplessly as she was blasted downwards from the force of the blow. She barely even slowed down as she hit the roof of the building beneath her, blowing straight through it. There was a low rumbling sound and Naruto watched in growing horror as the building collapsed, leaving Yugito buried alive under thousands of pounds of rubble.

**Note from the Author****: Hey There are two things from last chapter's reviews that I'd like to address. The first one is about pairings. I've had two reviews suggesting a NarutoxHinata pairing and one talking about a harem. NarutoxYugito is my favorite pairing for Naruto fan fiction. I think it's also the most underused. Even having Yugito involved in a story is rare, much less having her paired with Naruto. Even then, she's usually thrown into a large harem and doesn't receive much attention. This is one of the few straight up NarutoxYugito pairings, and it's going to stay that way.**

**The second issue is the multiple reviews I received last chapter concerning Naruto being overpowered. People, it's a matter of perspective. Shortly before Team Four left for the Chuunin Exams the Raikage remarked that either Yugito or Naruto could defeat most chuunin in single combat. In other words, their strength is equivalent to that of an elite chuunin. In the Chuunin Exams they're fighting a bunch of gennin, so they're not going to have much trouble. While I believe many of the Rooki Nine and Gai's Team to be above gennin-level, the only other participants in the exams that I consider to be at the Araikis' level are Neji and Gaara. Unfortunately for Neji, the Araikis are just a horrible matchup for him since their bloodline renders Jyuuken almost useless. I hadn't actually planned on that, it's just something I realized after I had To-Remu Yajuuki all fleshed out. And they haven't fought Gaara yet.**

**So far, they've primarily been measured against opponents they're better than. However, there have been several fights where they haven't come off so well. In my first chapter (excluding the prologue) Akana sparred against all three members of Team Four and won without too much difficulty. Which is even more impressive considering that the Araikis are difficult to affect with genjutsu, her biggest strength. Orochimaru didn't even take them seriously and it was only because he underestimated them that they even managed to wound him. Then there was the assassination attempt on the Daimyo where a couple of assassins stabbed Naruto through the lung and would have been able to kill him if it wasn't for Akana's intervention. He may be good but he's nowhere near the best…yet. That said, I would like to add that those reviews are not what caused me to include the events at the end of this chapter, or any that are upcoming.**

**On a lighter note, the reviews from last chapter were great. It wasn't just the number of them that were received. Several of them were several sentences long and pointed out why the reviewer liked the story, authors love that. Anyway, keep it up.**

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Shitai no To-Remu: Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Katon Karyuudan: Translates to Fire Release: Fire Dragon Blast. A fire version of the Water Dragon Blast used by Zabuza and Kakashi.**

**Fuuton: Fuuryudan: Translates to Wind Release: Wind Dragon Blast. A wind version of the Water Dragon Blast used by Zabuza and Kakashi.**

**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu: Translates to Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu**

**Fuuton: Kaze Yaiba: Translates to Wind Style: Wind Blade**

**Kagemane no Jutsu: Translates to Shadow Possession Jutsu**


	17. Chapter 16: The Battle for Konoha

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Konoha had become a battleground. Oto-nin were all over the stadium, locked in frantic combat with those Konoha-nin who had been attending and were skilled enough to fight off the genjutsu. There was fighting in the streets as well, the Konoha-nin fighting to hold off the Oto-nin while struggling to evacuate the civilians. The situation was perhaps the most dire near the outer walls where a giant three-headed snake summon had breeched Konoha's outer layer of defense. The gaping hole was swarming with Suna-nin who used the summons to spearhead their assault and press the beleaguered defenders back.

From his position on the roof of the stadium Sarutobi Hiruzen could see it all. He grasped the peril his beloved village was in perhaps more than any of the shinobi under his command, but he was powerless to come to their aid. He was surrounded by a purple barrier that incinerated anything it touched, and he had his own fight to finish.

His traitorous student Orochimaru stood a mere fifty feet away, flanked by the resurrected bodies of the Shodai and Nidaime Hokage. A Kinjutsu had brought them back to life and bent them to Orochimaru's twisted will, forcing them to aid him in his bid to destroy the village they had built. That was something he couldn't allow, for the sakes of both the village and his old mentors. Orochimaru needed to be stopped, but it wasn't going to be easy.

Sarutobi bit his thumb, running through a short series of familiar seals before slamming his palm to the rooftop. There was a puff of smoke and Enma, the monkey king, appeared alongside of the Sandaime. "It's been a while Sarutobi," his eyes scanned the battlefield, coming to rest on Orochimaru, "I see the snake has returned. And he doesn't appear to have gained any respect for the natural order of things either."

"No, he has not. It's time for me to correct the mistake I made all those years ago."

"I'm just happy that I'm here to see him go down."

Naruto ruthlessly crushed the rising urge to go to the pile of rubble and dig Yugito out. Gaara was too dangerous, and would never allow it. Yugito was still alive, he could sense her chakra. But there was no telling what condition she was in, how long she'd last. He needed to get her out of that rubble. In order to do that he needed to defeat Gaara, and he needed to do it fast. The Jinchuuriki in question launched himself at Naruto once more. Instead of avoiding the incoming beast, Naruto set himself to meet the attack. He couldn't afford to run, not anymore.

He met Gaara's charge with one of his own with Chikara, not Shitai, no To-Remu activated. Naruto ducked under Gaara's swing. He was relieved to find that he still had the speed to stand up to Gaara without Shitai no To-Remu, if barely. He had to pray that the trade-off was worth it. Those thoughts flew through his head in the split second it took for him to bring his own fist up, smashing it right between Gaara's monstrous eyes. Even Gaara's reinforced form couldn't shrug off that hit. He staggered back, appearing almost dazed from the blow. He still managed to lash out with his tail though, catching a pursuing Naruto by surprise.

He didn't have time to avoid the attack, and knew that if it hit him dead on the fight would be over. So he dove to the side, twisting desperately and turning the impact into a glancing blow. The hit was still tremendously painful, stronger than anything Naruto had ever felt before. The attack struck him on the side of his rib cage, and he was fairly certain that he heard at least two of them crack. The blonde was sent skidding along a street by the force of the attack, turning his backward momentum into a series of desperate rolls to absorb the impact. Even so, his momentum didn't stop until he crashed through a pair of doors and smacked into a counter. He could hear Gaara speaking as the Jinchuuriki slowly stalked his way towards the store. "You're fighting harder now that she's down, taking more risks. Why, why would you risk your life for her? Why do you risk your life for anyone?"

"Because I care for people other than myself. I can guess all too well what my life would be like if it wasn't for the help and support I've receive d. I pity you for going through your life alone; it must be a terrible existence." Naruto heard Gaara give an inarticulate cry of rage as the Jinchuuriki threw himself forward, just what he had been hoping for. He allowed himself a small smirk of triumph as his jutsu went off. As Gaara was passing through the shattered doorframe, he was met head on by another Fuuryudan.

The wind dragon smashed into Gaara, stopping his charge cold and forcing him to dig in to avoid being blown away. Great chunks of sand were slashed off of Gaara's form as the attack wore on. But he weathered it, and though the sand covering looked rather beaten up the attack didn't seem to have gotten through to the Jinchuuriki beneath. Gaara raised his head with the conclusion of the attack only to see Naruto charging towards him, Shitai no To-Remu was active and a swirling sphere of chakra was in his hand. "Rasengan!"

Naruto got within the startled Jinchuuriki's guard before Gaara had a chance to react, driving the attack into Gaara's chest with all his strength. There was another burst of sand in the air, and for a second Naruto dared hope that he had finally gotten past that gritty armor. Then, with a sinking feeling, he recognized the distinctive spiraling pattern etched into the sand. He hadn't managed to completely stabilize the Rasengan, which meant he had done no more than surface damage. It also meant he was exposed to another strike from Gaara.

Things were looking bleak for Konoha. The defending shinobi were forced to fall back in the streets. The attacking Oto-nin advanced with impunity, striking mercilessly at the outnumbered Konoha-nin who were desperately trying to buy time for the civilians to escape. Several Konoha-nin fell, their blood staining the homeland they had given their lives to defend.

Things at the wall weren't going much better. None of the Konoha shinobi present had a summons to combat the snake that was wreaking havoc, few people did. The Suna-nin pressed their advantage ruthlessly. They plowed deeper into the village, leaving a trail of shattered bodies and buildings in their wake.

The stadium was perhaps the only area in the village where Konoha-nin had the situation under control. The Oto-nin may have outnumbered the defenders, but that was their only advantage. Many of Konoha's elite shinobi had been in attendance. The Oto-nin didn't have anyone that could stand against Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai, and the many other powerful shinobi who fought in defense of the stadium. Slowly but surely, the attacking shinobi were cut down as the stadium came under the control of the defenders.

The lone exception was the roof, where Sarutobi was still battling Orochimaru and his predecessors. The area within the barrier now resembled a forest, a testament to the power of the Shodai's Mokuton abilities. It was also cloaked in impenetrable darkness, a result of a powerful technique that the Shodai had developed to combat Madara and his Sharingan. It was an environment that the first two Hokage's had more experience fighting in than Sarutobi did. To make matters worse, the two resurrected Hokages appeared to be able to regenerate all physical damage done to them.

Things weren't looking good, throughout all of Konoha. But the situation was ready to change. The last of the civilians were being ushered into their safe houses. The shinobi who had been escorting them met up with reserve forces, preparing the counterattack. A sannin was approaching the walls, intent on taking out the snake that was spearheading Suna's push into Konoha. Konoha's finest, having secured the stadium were leaving to cleanse the streets. Sarutobi was beginning to run through the hand signs of the one jutsu that was sure to stop Orochimaru's twisted summons. The fight for Konoha was only beginning.

At least it seemed that he had managed to temporarily weaken Gaara. This attack didn't land with nearly as much power as the first. Even so, it managed to knock Naruto off his feet and send him flying towards the back of the shop. He dug his claws into the side of a cabinet, swinging himself aside to avoid crashing into a display case full of swords. Instead he cannoned into a shelf full of boxes, throwing up a blizzard of small paper slips as the boxes burst from the impact.

Naruto came out of those boxes at a sprint, pouring on all possible speed and running right by Gaara. That caught the Jinchuuriki by surprise; Naruto hadn't tried to build distance between them ever since the building had collapsed on Yugito. No matter, he wouldn't run for long. Gaara dug his feet into the ground, skidding to a stop. He slid into the slips of paper, many still fluttering in the air. He heard a sizzling sound and his eyes widened when he realized what those slips of paper were…exploding notes.

Naruto was sprinting down the street, keeping a mental count in his head. Then he threw himself to the ground, curling into the fetal position and activating Mantoru no To-Remu to protect himself from the blast. There was a thunderous roar as the weapons shop behind him disappeared in an immense ball of flame. Hot winds blasted through the streets, buffeting Naruto form his curled up position. He felt a flash of pain along his back as a blade from the shop slashed across it, slicing through Mantoru no To-Remu with ease and leaving a shallow gash diagonally from hip to shoulder. Before he could even reflect upon how lucky he was that the blade hadn't been any lower he felt what must have been a senbon blow clear through his arm, shattering the bone as it went. He managed to stifle his shout of pain even as several larger pieces of debris thumped into him, jarring his broken arm with each impact.

Then it was over. Naruto straightened with a grunt, dumping pieces of debris off of him. His gi hung loosely about him in tatters. Deciding that it would be a hindrance if he was forced to continue fighting Naruto tore what was left of it off, leaving his torso clad only in the skintight wire mesh. The cut on his back, while messy, wasn't very serious. His left arm, however, was another story. It hung limply from his side, unresponsive since the senbon had gone through it. He grimaced, one useless hand would definitely limit his options in combat should he have to continue to fight. He'd be restricted to his bloodline, limited taijutsu, the Rasengan, and the simplest of ninjutsu. He turned his gaze to the settling dust cloud, desperately hoping that the blast had finally downed Gaara. That hope was dashed with a sudden eruption of sand.

Now Naruto found himself facing down what must have been Gaara's complete transformation, a gigantic sand tanuki that made Naruto feel like an ant. He could just barely make out Gaara on the head of the beast, he knew instinctively that it was going to be his best bet for an attack. Getting there, however, was going to be another story. The situation was only made worse when some of the sand comprising the beast flowed out of it, rushing towards Naruto.

He ducked under the first wave of sand, and was forced to cut to the side immediately to avoid the second. Naruto had no time to think, only act. He was cutting, dodging, jumping, weaving; desperately avoiding the endless waves of sand that lashed out at him. He was forced to clutch his limp left arm close to his body, preventing it from flying wide and getting ensnared, which only intensified the pain he felt at every moment that threatened to override his senses. The problem with his current situation was that he wasn't in position to pose a threat to Gaara, which meant the Jinchuuriki could sit back and attack without fear of reprisal. All it would take was for Naruto to screw up once, and it came eventually.

Naruto's foot slipped across the loose rubble on the ground. It was coated in sand in an instant, which soon began creeping up his leg. An eerie calm washed over Naruto, and in a moment of crystal clarity he knew that he had once chance to get out of this mess alive. His breathing deepened and vitals slowed as he slipped into a meditative state with speed that spoke of long practice. Naruto closed his eyes as the sand crept up his chest, exhaling a deep breath. When he opened them, he wasn't greeted with the sight of Konoha's battle-scarred streets.

The landscape in front of him now was wild and pristine, never touched by human hands. He was in a virgin forest, or at least what appeared to be a virgin forest. In reality it didn't exist, but it sure made for a scenic mindscape. Now it was time to recruit a bit of help. He took a short hike through the forest, temporarily unhindered by his injuries. Before long, he came within sight of a fox stalking restlessly across a clearing. "Hey, fox," the fox came to a halt as he heard himself being called, spinning around to face Naruto, "get ready; it's time for you to get out there."

A grin spread across the fox's face, "Kid, I've been waiting ever since you figured out how to do this."

Naruto closed his eyes once more, and found himself back in the real world when he opened them. The sand was creeping up around Naruto's neck, but he felt no sense of urgency. The tribal markings covering his body started to glow as he channeled more chakra into them, shining intensely enough to shine clearly even through the thick layer of sand that covered him. When he spoke, his voice was eerily calm, "To-Remu Konjou: Gonge."

The fortunes of war had changed. Hiashi stood in a training ground, singlehandedly facing down a dozen Oto-nin. He deftly spun away from his first attacker, bringing his fingers up to lightly tap his foe in the temple. The man crumpled to the ground in a boneless heap. The next Oto-nin was met with a palm strike to the heart. The blast of chakra emitted by Hiashi tore the delicate organ to shreds. The remaining ten Oto-nin charged. Hiashi just dropped lower into his stance, raising his palms up to his side. His Kaiten scattered them, throwing them back. Half of them were dead before they even had the chance to regain their feet.

Elsewhere in the village the elder Ino-Shika-Chou team was at it again. Enemy shinobi fell before them like wheat before a scythe as they fought with the efficiency and teamwork that had made them legends. The Oto-nin soon fled. Some fled deeper into the city. They were met by the victorious Konoha-nin emerging into the stadium. Whether it was Kakashi, Gai, or one of Konoha's many other heroes no quarter was given. Now it was the blood of the aggressors that spattered the streets.

Even those far from the stadium weren't safe. Now that all of the civilians had made it to the safe houses Konoha's counterattack began. A barrage of kunai and shuriken whistled through the air, cutting down many of the Oto-nin where they stood. Those that remained were left to face the shinobi of Konoha, eager to finally seize upon their chance to retaliate against the intruders. It began as a few Oto-nin breaking ranks, but before long Otogakure's attacking force broke into a full-scale retreat. The former attackers were now intent on getting as far from Konoha as possible. But the forests outside of the walls were no safer than the streets within.

Howls split the air as the Inuzuka clan took up the hunt. They worked as a pack, taking full advantage of their familiarity of the forests surrounding Konoha. Groups of Oto-nin were herded, corralled into pre-determined positions. Once they were there the waiting Inuzuka were perfectly content to turn the tables on the former ambushers. Some of the Oto-nin broke free of their groups, fleeing alone into the woods. Their only warning was a buzzing sound as swarms of the Aburame Clan's kikai bugs descended upon them. Of the hundreds of Oto-nin Orochimaru sent to attack Konoha less than fifty made it back to the safety of their village.

Sarutobi had summoned the Shinigami itself to aid him in his fight. He had already used its assistance to free the souls of his predecessors from Orochimaru's influence, returning them to the afterlife. Next he had turned his attention to Orochimaru himself. He had ignored his student's last-ditch sword thrust to allow the Shinigami to get a firm grasp on Orochimaru. Whether he could completely pull Orochimaru's soul free from his body despite the sword lodged in his torso remained to be seen. But Orochimaru was going to be unable to fight after this regardless.

In the southern area of Konoha Jiraiya upheld his reputation for flashy entrances. He arrived with a bang, okay a thump, his toad flattening one of the snake summons's heads as it landed. The snake moved sluggishly after that, the remaining two heads needing time to adapt to controlling the massive body by themselves. Against the seasoned Toad Sage and his powerful summons it was time they didn't have. The snake fell, prompting a countercharge from the Konoha forces in the area. With their summoned ally dead, and a horde of Konoha-nin lead by a Sannin preparing a countercharge the Suna-nin broke into retreat. Jiraiya wasn't watching them though. His gaze was fixed on the form of Shukaku, protruding above the rooftops. Once that was taken down, Konoha would finally be secured.

There was a blinding flash of slate-blue light, scattering the sand surrounding Naruto to the four winds. Naruto looked across an expanse of empty air, staring Gaara straight in the eye. He was now standing on the nose of gigantic fox composed entirely of his chakra. The third stage of his bloodline was a useful technique, one that mimicked summoning in many ways. It allowed him to bring his totem spirit into the outside world, creating an avatar for it out of his chakra. He could vary the amount of chakra he put into it, altering its size and strength. His ability to create an avatar of Shukaku's size had been strictly theoretical until today, but the gamble had seemed like his only choice. He was just glad that it had paid off.

There were a few shortcomings with this technique though. Unlike the Kuchiyose no Jutsu he didn't have access to a variety of creatures suited to different tasks. The only choice he had in the incarnation was the amount of chakra pumped into the technique. More importantly was that as of yet, while his totem was outside the body it was unable to influence his chakra flow like it normally did. So long as the avatar was out, Naruto was cut off from all the other benefits of his bloodline. Additionally, since his chakra now flowed freely through his body it shot his control to hell. He'd have to dismiss the avatar if he wished to perform any technique effectively. Of course, that was less of an issue when they were off-limits anyway due to an unresponsive hand. There was also the issue of chakra drain. Naruto had already used quite a bit of chakra during the course of his fights, mainly as a result of the two Fuuryudan he had launched. The avatar had taken nearly all of his remaining reserves, and what he had left was draining much more quickly than he was used to. He'd have to finish this fight fast if he was to have any chance of winning.

"You seem pretty beat up kid; the fight must have been rough for you."

"More than you'd think," he motioned with his good arm, drawing his totem's attention to a pile of rubble, "Yugito-chan's buried under there. I need to take care of the Ichibi's Jinchuuriki before I can dig her out. I'm almost out of chakra too, so we're going to have to make this fast."

"Got a plan?"

"Yeah, get me close. Gaara's exposed at the top of that thing. Hopefully if I can get to him I can end this fight. And whatever you do, make sure not to get between Shukaku and that pile of rubble."

"Got it."

"Then let's go." The totem surged forward, entering a full out spring.

Gaara's demonic transformation puffed out his chest in response. "Katon: Kaze Tama!"

The totem darted to the side, avoiding first one blast of wind before leaping to avoid the other. Both flew onwards, flying over the city walls and becoming lost to Naruto's sight. The avatar couldn't, however, dodge the third bullet. Naruto felt a peculiar suctioning sensation as the totem drew him deep inside of it, shielding him from the impact. The blast hit the totem hard, blowing it out of the air. He landed hard. Naruto felt the jolt of the impact, even through the cushioning layers of chakra. But his avatar regained its feet soon enough, and Naruto found himself standing on its head again.

The avatar sprinted towards the sand demon, taking a zigzag pattern to avoid the two more wind bullets. Then he leapt, slamming into the demon in a flying tackle and bringing it crashing to the ground. "Go!"

Naruto didn't need the encouragement. He gathered chakra into his legs and leapt in a curving arc, with Gaara at the end of his trajectory. The avatar disappeared, Megurushi and Chikara no To-Remu blazing to life. An instant later, a swirling orb of chakra appeared in the palm of Naruto's good hand. Sand rose up in a dome, shielding Gaara from Naruto. But it didn't matter; Naruto had it right this time. The Rasengan tore into the dome, scattering it to the winds. Gaara wore an expression of shock as Naruto landed in front of him, the first glimpse of emotion he had seen on the young Jinchuuriki's face. He didn't waste any time to savor it though, instead bringing his fist up to catch Gaara's chin with a mighty uppercut. The force of the blow, enhanced by Chikara no To-Remu, tore Gaara right out of the sand construct. It responded instantly by dissolving in a shower of sand.

Naruto tumbled to the ground, smacking his head against a piece of rubble on the way down before his fall was broken by a pile of sand. He didn't see Gaara land, but for an instant he felt that the sand all over the place was going to rise and crush him. But the sand remained still, it seemed that the Jinchuuriki was unable to continue the fight. Naruto was grateful for that, he wasn't in any condition to fight any more either. The young Kumo-nin managed to stagger to his fee though, even if he wasn't thinking too clearly. That last blow to the head had gotten to him. Even so, he stumbled towards a pile of rubble. If he didn't dig Yugito out from under it, it would be her tomb.

He stumbled and fell as he felt a vibration reverberate throughout the area, and for an instant feared that he was under attack once more. Then he rolled over and saw Jiraiya leap down from the back of a large toad. "I've got to say kid, I'm impressed. I would have been here sooner, but I had to take care of one of Orochimaru's summons. I thought Shukaku was still going to be on the rampage. You did pretty good to take him out." Then Jiraiya paused, he had been walking towards Naruto during his little speech, and was just now realizing how badly the kid was hurt.

In truth, Naruto didn't hear much of what Jiraiya said. His ears were ringing and he only managed to make out about one of every five or so words. He did note the concern on Jiraiya's face as the sannin rushed over though. But he wasn't the one who needed the sage now. He managed to raise his good arm, pointing towards the pile of rubble. "Yugito-chan," he managed to rasp out, "still…alive."

Jiraiya looked over to the wreckage, a flash of surprise crossing her face. "She's under there?" Naruto managed to nod weakly. "Don't worry kid; I'll get her out of there. But there's nothing you can do here any more, I'm sending you to the hospital. He bit his thumb, running through a set of hand seals before slamming his palm onto the ground. Naruto saw Jiraiya shout orders that he couldn't hear to the four summoned toads. He was placed on one of their backs, and saw the other three start to shift through the wreckage before succumbing to merciful unconsciousness.

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Shitai no To-Remu: Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Fuuton: Fuuryudan: Translates to Wind Release: Wind Dragon Blast. A wind version of the Water Dragon Blast used by Zabuza and Kakashi.**

**Shitai no To-Remu: Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Chikara no To-Remu: Translates to Might of the Totem. This technique greatly increases the strength of its user.**

**To-Remu Konjou: Gonge: Translates to Totem Spirit: Incarnate. This is the third stage of To-Remu Yajuuki, where the bearer creates an avatar out of his chakra and allows his/her totem to manifest in the physical world. The size and power varies with the amount of chakra put into the technique; from something barely noticeable to an avatar the size of a boss summon. It is without a doubt a powerful technique, though a difficult one to master.**


	18. Chapter 17: Aftermath

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

The first thing Naruto became aware of was the smell. It was a clean, sterile smell he had long ago come to associate with hospitals. The second thing he became aware of was the dull ache of several injuries, undoubtedly the reason he was in the place. He couldn't quite remember how he'd gotten them though. He could remember going to the finals of the Chuunin Exams, but after that he could only remember bits and pieces of what had happened. He slowly opened his eyes, groaning in protest at the bright glare of the fluorescent lights above him. "So you're finally awake." His eloquent response was another groan as he felt the beginnings of a pounding headache.

Then the light dimmed as the medic treating him leaned over the bed, it was Rin. For the moment she was all business. Her fingers gently held his eyelids open as she shined a light into his eyes. "Your pupils are dilating normally, indicating that you are most likely recovered from your concussion." Then her body language changed, relaxed. Her bearing shifted from the business-like demeanor she had previously held to one that was more compassionate, more caring. Her voice was softer when she next spoke too, having undergone the same change. "I was worried; when I saw the condition you were in after Jiraiya-sama's toad brought you here. Then you were unconscious for four days."

"My bloodline does that sometimes with severe injuries. If I'm not conscious to affect the flow of my chakra my Totem Spirit can control it more easily, allowing him to heal more effectively. That's never done lightly though, how badly was I inured?"

"You had a severe concussion, which is predicted to cause temporary short-term memory loss."

"Sounds about right."

A small smile tugged at Rin's lips as she continued, "Every one of your ribs was at least cracked, four of them broken. You had multiple fractures in your arm, seemingly the result of a high-speed impact from a small object. Your torso was covered in bruises and small cuts, with an additional large laceration that ran from your hip to the opposite shoulder. You were also bleeding internally and were suffering from damage to many internal organs. If it weren't for your healing factor you'd still be in intensive care. With it, you were in there for a day. Since then your healing factor began to work much more rapidly, possibly because it no longer needed to keep your condition stable. We're not really sure about that actually, there's very little medical precedence for this sort of thing."

"With luck there won't be much more. So, how did I get so beat up?"

"You mean you don't remember?"

"You're the one that predicted that I'd have short-term memory loss."

Her lips quirked into a small smile and she even giggled slightly, "Silly me. You were fighting Gaara. Jiraiya-sama said he was tapping heavily into the power of Shukaku. He apparently manifested a life-size construct of Shukaku during your fight. You brought forth some giant fox made out of your chakra. We're not entirely sure what happened after that but both Shukaku and your fox disappeared. You were barely conscious when Jiraiya-sama found you, and he didn't see Gaara nearby."

"How do you not know what happened, what about the audience? For that matter, why did the match continue for so long? It sounds like it would have been pretty dangerous to the observers, not to mention the collateral damage two chakra constructs of that size must have caused."

"You really are suffering from memory loss; you weren't fighting Gaara as part of the exam."

"Then why, it's not exactly a fight I would have sought out."

"Konoha was invaded by Oto and Suna."

Naruto blinked once in surprise, then winced and clutched his temples as a sudden barrage of memories flooded his mind. It all came rushing back, everything that had happened yesterday. He straightened suddenly, ignoring the flash of pain from his ribs. "How's Yugito-chan?"

"How did you recover your memories so-"

"I think my totem was suppressing them, I'll have to speak to him later. How's Yugito-chan?" His voice was more forceful this time, more demanding. She hesitated a bit, reluctant to tell him. But she could also tell from his expression that he wasn't going to allow her to put it off.

She let out a deep sigh, closing her eyes and steeling herself to deliver the news. "Jiraiya-sama found Yugito buried near the bottom of the rubble pile. If it wasn't for her healing factor she would have been dead before he even reached her. Even with it, she was barely alive by the time he brought her to the hospital. We rushed her to intensive care, and it's all we can do to keep her alive. Her injuries are as severe as anything I've ever seen on a living shinobi. She's hovering at the cusp of life and death, and we're hard-pressed to keep her alive. If we had someone with more medical knowledge maybe things would be different. But for now all we can do is wait and hope that we're eventually able to pull her back from the brink."

Naruto was moving before she even finished speaking, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed. Before he could get out of bed though, Rin was there. Her restraining hand was pushing against his shoulder, pressing him down into the bed. There was an eerie calm to Naruto's voice when he spoke, quite surprising actually considering the torrents of emotions that were racing through him. "Let me go, I'm going to go see her."

"Naruto, I can understand how you feel but you're still injured yourself. It would be best if-"

"I am not going to sit in this bed any longer than necessary. If I'm up and moving like this I'll heal soon enough." His voice didn't sound so calm anymore, hints of desperation leaking into it.

"Even so, you'll run the risk of aggravating your injuries. Even if that weren't the case you're not a medic. There's nothing you can do for her so you may as well wait until-"

"I don't care!" Rin blinked, surprised by Naruto's sudden outburst. In truth, he had surprised himself as well. "I lover her damnit! And if," his voice lost its volume, its harshness and edge. And for a moment, despite all of his training, strength, and confidence; Araiki Naruto was just a desperate, scared boy afraid of losing someone he loved. "if she might die, I need to be there."

Rin paused for a moment, unsure how exactly to respond. She didn't have to though. Jiraiya, who had managed to get onto the window sill undetected, decided to make his presence known. "Rin, if you don't mind I'd like to speak with Naruto."

She released the young Araiki, falling back a few paces. "Of course."

"Alone please." She hesitated for a second, and Jiraiya didn't miss the subtle emotions shifting across her face. "Rin, I know you want to talk to him. You have ever since Asuma brought back that information about him. I'll make sure you get that chance, but now isn't the best time."

"I understand Jiraiya-sama." She backed out of the room, leaving Naruto lying on the bed and Jiraiya lounging on the windowsill.

"That was an impressive fight kid; there aren't many who would have been able to stop Gaara when he used that much of Shukaku's power. That fox you used, was that the third stage of your bloodline that you mentioned?"

Naruto briefly considered trying to get out of the room to see Yugito, but somehow doubted Jiraiya was going to let him go until he was done talking to him. "Yeah, To-Remu Konjou: Gonge. It allows me to use my chakra to make a physical body for my totem and bring him into the outside world. It's…similar to summoning, but not quite the same."

"I see, your kekkai genkai is full of uses isn't it?"

"Yeah, I've just about exhausted all of the basic uses for it though. All that's left now is to find new ways to combine its powers to create new tricks. Speaking of Gaara though, you were the first to arrive on the scene after our battle was over. What happened to him?"

"I'm not sure. He must not have landed near you, because I didn't spot him after finding you. Then I dug out Yugito. After I sent her off to the hospital I tried to find Gaara but he wasn't there. Either he was able to flee on his own power or someone carried him away. I got careless either way, should have made a Kage Bunshin to go look for him immediately. The kid's dangerous, and I let him get away."

"I'm sure a lot of people would like to change something that happened yesterday. Speaking of which, what all happened?"

"Suna attacked from the south, they had a summons from Orochimaru that tore through the wall for them. Things were looking pretty bad for a while, plenty of property destruction and death. Then I came and killed it. After that the Suna-nin retreated. There were Oto-nin throughout the city. The deaths they caused were minimal though. Konoha-nin fought defensively for a while to allow the civilians time to escape. Then the counterattack overwhelmed them. You already know how your battle with Gaara ended up so that only leaves-"

"Wait, the people that were in the area. Did they make it out in time?"

"You fought in a business sector, mainly retail. It was pretty much empty due to the exams. And whoever was left didn't stick around very long after Gaara started heading their way. You didn't give him any time to chase them either, so we don't think he killed anybody."

"At least we managed to do that right."

Jiraiya sighed, "Look kid, I'm proud of the choice you made. You may not feel any loyalty towards Konoha, but acting to protect helpless villagers is admirable. You've no reason to feel ashamed for what you did."

"Only if Yugito-chan can live through it."

Jiraiya sighed once more, then repeated himself. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. There's no telling how many people Gaara could have killed without your intervention. With it, the Suna-nin were forced into retreat and the Oto-nin were routed. The outcome might have been different if Gaara had been allowed to roam free. The only remaining major fight was between Sarutobi-sensei and Orochimaru. The traitor killed him. Sensei managed to disable Orochimaru's arms, but the traitor killed him."

"I'm sorry; it can't be easy to lose your sensei."

"It's a death he wouldn't have minded at least, he died defending his village. He personified the Will of Fire that he was so proud of. He may not have sought death, but it was one he would have been proud of. The council wanted me to be his successor, but I don't think I'd be that well suited for it. So now I need to go find the next candidate, my other teammate."

"Naruto was instantly on the alert, perking up noticeably. "You mean Tsunade, the medic. The woman reputed to be the greatest medic in the elemental nations."

"Yeah. Hey, where do you think you're going?"

Naruto was on his feet, painfully moving to the corner of the room where one of his outfits sat folded on the chair. "Tsunade can heal her, I'm coming with you."

"Hold on a second here, Rin'll kill me if I let you do this. I don't even want to know what Akana's reaction would be."

"You don't want to know what mine would be if you forced me to stay behind." The two stood there for a long moment, staring each other in the eye before Naruto broke the silence. "You'd want to go if it was somebody important to you. Besides, the entire reason you came here was to give me the choice."

For a brief moment Naruto saw genuine surprise flash across Jiraiya's features. He couldn't help but feel a flash of pride at outwitting the sannin, even if it was minor. "How did you-"

"You asked Rin to leave," Naruto pulled a pair of pants on under his gown as he spoke. Then shed it and reached for his mesh shirt. "There's nothing you told me that you couldn't have told her. That was what tipped me off, then I thought about it a little more. I'm a foreign shinobi; you shouldn't even have told me who the council selected as the next Hokage. You did all of this to give me a choice I've made it." Naruto finished wrapping the bandages around his lower legs and straightened, fully dressed and equipped. "So, do you think you can sneak me out of Konoha?"

A grin spread across Jiraiya's face. "Kid, I'm the great Jiraiya. I know every inch of this village. I can get anyone, anywhere, anytime I want."

"Must come in handy for peeping."

"Brat."

"Pervert." Naruto paused, looking Jiraiya in the eye. "There's just one thing I need to do before we leave."

Naruto glanced around briefly, making sure no doctors were nearby before dropping to the floor of the emergency room. He bit back a hiss of pain as he did, feeling a twinge of pain shoot through his injured ribs. Jiraiya had tried to talk him out of this, but Naruto was adamant. There was no way he'd leave without seeing Yugito. He padded silently over to her bed and gazed down at her. Seeing her like this, it wasn't easy. She was lying unconscious; her skin was pale and drawn, breaths raspy and shallow. Numerous tubes and wires extended from her to various machines around the room, monitoring her vital signs and providing her with the nutrients she needed to survive. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding back the tears that threatened to come to the surface. He brought his hand up, tracing it lovingly over Yugito's face before resting it on her forehead. Then he closed his eyes, retreating back into his mindscape.

He opened his eyes again, seeing the lush forest that was as much a part of him as his body. His Totem was waiting for him. Naruto glanced at him before turning to look down the tunnel, a gateway forged by his physical contact. "Are you sure this will work?"

"It should."

"Very well then." Naruto reached out to place a hand against the fox. When he pulled it away it trailed strings of blue chakra, linking him with his totem. The fox turned, and leapt down the tunnel. Naruto's perceptions became less clear, turning into more a sense of emotions than sights and sound. It was in such a state that he entered Yugito's mindscape.

"Shouldn't I be getting some sense of her emotions? And where's her totem?"

"Patience kit, I can't find anything immediately."

"Kit? I'm older than you."

"Then act like it and have a bit of patience." Naruto's perception seemed to blur as his totem padded through Yugito's mindscape. Then a sudden orange blur lit up his perception and he heard a new, distinctly feminine voice in his head.

"You must be Naruto's totem, he's with you I take it."

"Hey is that…"

"Yes, I've found Yugito's totem."

"How is she…Yugito-chan I mean."

"She's not at all aware of what's going on at the moment. I'm forced to keep her unconscious, keep her calm. During the brief moments when I cannot she is full of fear and confusion. She's never been injured like this before. I can't allow you to stay long, I need to keep my attention focused on her if I'm to keep her alive."

"I understand, but next time she wakes up tell her…tell her I'm going to get help, and tell her I love her."

"She knows you do, but I'll pass on the message. Now, I need you to leave."

"I understand." There was a sudden blur as Naruto's senses sharpened. He found himself back in his mindscape, facing his totem .

"I must admit I'm impressed, I didn't expect that to work so well."

Naruto fixed his totem with a flat glare. "Why did you block off my memories?"

"Because your mind was in turmoil, and I needed a feather touch to manipulate your chakra enough to heal you. You wouldn't be any good to anybody dead."

"I guess. I should get going now." Then Naruto was back in the real world. He stumbled backwards as a wave of vertigo hit him. He almost tumbled over backwards but was steadied as Jiraiya grabbed him by the shoulders. "If you're here I take it you already put my note in the hotel room."

"Yes."

"Did you get my equipment?"

Jiraiya pulled out a scroll and tossed it to Naruto. "It's all sealed and ready to go. Was that mind-link you were using, like what the Yamanakas can do?"

"Kind of, it allows our totems to communicate. I wasn't even sure I'd be able to pull it off until just now. It wouldn't work on someone without our bloodline though, and it wouldn't be practical in just about any other situation."

"Let's just get going, I don't want Akana to discover that note before we're out of Konoha."

Naruto didn't respond for a long moment. Instead he walked over to Yugito's bed. Leaning down, he kissed her gently on the forehead. "Hang in there. I'll bring back help, I promise." He straightened, swiping his thumb across the corners of his eyes before turning to face Jiraiya. "Right, lead the way."

Twenty minutes later the two shinobi were moving through the dense forestry outside of Konoha. The path would have been quicker, but it would also make them a lot easier to find if someone came looking for them. They were also moving on foot, for now, to make it more difficult for somebody to sense their chakra signatures. "So, what's your plan for finding Tsunade?"

"Well, Tsunade may be a powerful shinobi but she has her vices. She's unable to resist sake and gambling, especially gambling. She's also horrible at gambling, they don't caller The Legendary Sucker for nothing…though it would be nice if it referred to something else."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Get to the point."

"Since Tsunade's so bad at gambling she's built up a lot of debt. Coincidentally she's also gotten pretty good at hiding in order to avoid her creditors, so most of my usual lines of information won't work. The best way to find her is going to be to go to gambling towns and ask around the bars. Sooner or later I'll find somebody who's seen her and they should be able to point us in the right direction."

Naruto eyed him suspiciously, "That sounds like an awfully good excuse to go out drinking and whoring."

"Yeah, I love it when this is the only way to find someone."

A low growl emanated from the back of Naruto's throat. "Just remember what the stakes are Ero-Sennin. I can understand if you need to hit up the bars to find her, but if you _waste_ time hitting on women or getting drunk I swear to Kami I'll castrate you." Jiraiya swallowed hard. He may have been a Sannin, but Naruto's stealth skills were remarkable. If he was drunk or occupied with a woman…well, he wasn't sure whether he'd be able to sense Naruto coming or not. And he really didn't want to find out if that was a threat, or a promise. Besides, Naruto was right. There were more important things riding on finding Tsunade. For this excursion, it looked like it would be best to control himself.

"You don't have to worry kid, I know when it's time to control my vices. Now, I'm planning on using this trip for more than just finding Tsunade. It's going to take us time to move between cities, even when we can move at full speed. So it'll be a good time to teach you a bit about seals. Now, tell me what you know about storage seals."

"Umm, they…store things?" Jiraiya sighed, this was going to take a while. And thus began Naruto's education on Fuinjutsu.

Once they were a safe distance from Konoha Naruto and Jiraiya started moving at full speed. Leaping from tree to tree faster than the untrained eye could follow the duo made it to the first city on Jiraiya's list in twelve hours of hard travel. The first thing Jiraiya did was to find a hotel and rent a room. Then he unsealed a book and tossed it to Naruto. "Here, I'm going to hit up the bars and see if I can find anyone who's seen her. Read this while I'm gone, it covers the basics of fuinjutsu. I'll quiz you on it as soon as we hit the road again."

Naruto became engrossed in the book, using it as a refuge from the worry he was feeling. He didn't even realize how much time had passed until Jiraiya returned to the room and he glanced up at the clock. It was two o'clock in the morning. They had arrived in the city at nine, so he had read over three quarters of the book in five hours of time. "Did you learn anything?"

"No," despite the smell of alcohol lingering on Jiraiya his words were clear and crisp. Naruto didn't know if Jiraiya had only pretended to indulge or knew some technique to combat drunkenness, but the sannin didn't seem the least bit intoxicated. He took it as a good sign, it seemed Jiraiya was taking his task seriously. "No one that I found has seen her recently. We'll spend the night here to get some rest and I'll try again tomorrow. If there's no luck after that we'll head out to the next town."

Jiraiya had no more luck the following day than he had the one before. The duo spent one more night in the hotel before heading out to the next city. Jiraiya quizzed Naruto as they traveled, and soon became impressed with how readily Naruto had learned from the scroll. He gave Naruto a new one to read the next time they stopped. They reached the next city late that night. It was located in something resembling an inverse plateau. Naruto stared down at it in surprise. "What the hell are they going to do if it ever floods in this area? That place will turn into a lake."

"Don't know kid, I've never been here long enough to find out. They're in the middle of a pretty big festival, that's what all the tents set up down there are for. You should visit it tomorrow, see if you can get rid of a bit of the tension you're feeling."

"I'll get rid of the tension when we bring Tsunade back to Konoha."

Jiraiya sighed, he hadn't really been expecting Naruto to lighten up, but the quiet brooding personality didn't exactly fit the kid. It didn't make him the best traveling companion either, but he couldn't really blame the kid. If someone he cared about that much was clinging to life by a hair he wouldn't have been the most upbeat person either. Hopefully they'd be able to find Tsunade soon.

Jiraiya did manage to convince Naruto to visit the festival the next day. Quite frankly, Naruto found it lacking. The various carnival games, obviously designed for civilians, were child's play to a talented shinobi. Many of them required throwing some sort of hand-held object; be it a dart, ball, or ring. Any shinobi lacking the accuracy for those games probably wouldn't even have been able to graduate from the academy. Even some of the games that seemed like they'd be hard even for shinobi were a simple task. A perfect example was trying to catch goldfish with a paper net. Even after Naruto's net tore free he slipped the wire under a fish and lifted it into the air, the subtle motions of his wrist keeping the struggling fish balanced atop the thin wire. In short, he didn't find the festival that much fun.

Of course, a big reason for that was because he still couldn't get Yugito off his mind. It was frustrating, not having anything he could do to help, it wasn't something he was used to either. As a result, he was in an overall foul mood as he made his way back to the hotel that Jiraiya had gotten them a room at. As a result, the man in the white suit roughly shouldering his way through the crowd annoyed him even more than it usually would. Naruto didn't budge an inch when the man bumped into him, widening his stance slightly and rooting his feet to the ground with chakra. The man was taken by surprise, falling to the dusty ground. There was a moment of stunned silence, and Naruto could feel the two men trailing the one he had knocked to the ground fixing him with their stares. He raised his head to look them in the eye, quirking an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"You wrecked my suit kid," Naruto lowered his gaze, settling it on the upset-looking man on the ground, "This is designer clothing, it costs 100,000 ryuu."

"Last time I bought rags it didn't cost me nearly that much," Naruto muttered dryly, "but if you're so worried about it you should be a bit more careful walking around."

"You," Naruto raised his gaze again, fixing it on the sputtering face of the man he decided to call Lackey #1, "if you're smart you'll show some respect to Akoki-sama. He used to be a chuunin from Iwagakure."

"Chuunin huh, your skills must have atrophied if you get knocked onto your ass that easily. Just remember, I'm _still_ a shinobi. I'm in a bad mood too, so why don't you run along before I lose my temper."

"Are you looking for a fight kid?"

Megurushi no To-Temu flared on Naruto's skin, and he spoke with simmering anger present in his voice, "I already told you. Leave before I lose my temper."

A look of realization spread across Akoki's face, "I've heard of you before, that kid with the new bloodline from Kumo. I may not have left Iwa on the best of terms, but they'll welcome me back with open arms if I bring you with me."

Naruto rolled his eyes and turned to walk away, "If you're dumb enough to come after me, don't say I didn't warn you."

"You're too arrogant!" Akoki pushed himself up off the ground and lunged at Naruto. He closed on Naruto in an instant and swung his fist at the back of the younger boy's head, only to have it caught easily. He suddenly found himself facing a chest clothed in red and green. He slowly raised his gaze, staring into the solemn face of Jiraiya. So terrified was he, that he didn't notice the swirling orb of chakra in the Sannin's hand until it was slammed into his gut. Akoki was blasted backwards, the crowd scattering around him as he landed in a heap on the street.

"You should count yourself lucky that I toned that attack down. I'd run if I were you."

Akoki didn't need to be told twice, he scrambled to his feet before hurrying away with his lackeys in tow. They took care to avoid jostling the crowd this time. Naruto waited until they were out of earshot before speaking. "You're getting sloppier Ero-Sennin, I could sense you coming that time."

Jiraiya turned around, glaring down at Naruto, "I'm getting sloppy? You almost got into a fight in the middle of a civilian town! I thought you would have been taught better than that."

"All I did was hold my ground."

Jiraiya sighed, looking down at the young Araiki. "You haven't lost anyone important to you yet, have you?" Jiraiya had his answer as soon as he saw Naruto flinch at the word yet. "It's never easy, but you can't let it control you. If you allow grief or fear to control your actions you could destroy yourself."

"I assume you're back this early because you found something."

Jiraiya sighed again as Naruto avoided his question, "Yeah, she lost a lot of money gambling here before she left. The person I talked to said she was headed for Tanzuka City, left about a week ago. If she moves at a civilian pace, which is likely, she would have gotten there about three days ago."

"How long will it take us to get there at a shinobi's pace?"

"It's already late, so we should be able to get there by sometime tomorrow."

"The hotel room you rented?"

"I already sent a shadow clone there to cancel it."

"Alright, lead the way." The two shinobi disappeared from view of the untrained onlookers, headed for Tanzuka City.

The duo made good time, spending all night leaping through the dark forests of Ho no Kuni. They drew close to the city late the following morning. "Tsunade left to come here a week ago," Jiraiya was saying, "So she likely arrived three days ago. I'm betting she's still here. Tanzuka City is a huge tourist destination. The place is chocked full of bars and, more importantly for us, casinos. There's also an old castle on a hill in the middle of the town."

Naruto reached the edge of the forest, pausing on a tree branch that overlooked the town. "Are you sure you don't have your cities mixed up."

Jiraiya paused, staring at Naruto quizzically. "Of course, I know Ho no Kuni like the back of my own hand. That's Tanzuka city you're looking at."

"There's no castle."

Jiraiya was beside him in a flash. Sure enough, the castle that had crowned the hill was no longer there. He stared intently for a while, noticing a pile of rubble lying behind the walls that had once encircled the castle. "Come on kid, we're checking this out." The two ninja leapt away, leaping to the rooftops when they entered the town. They were examining the ruins shortly thereafter. "This castle was just destroyed recently. There's dust all over the place here, some of it hasn't even settled out of the air."

"Damn, whatever did this was something big. Explosive notes maybe."

"No, they would have had to be all over the place. We'd see scorch marks around here somewhere. I'm not sure what happened. Let's split up, take a look around and see if we can find some more clues." Naruto gave a curt nod before leaping away.

He had been examining the ruins for perhaps ten minutes before something caught his eye. He paused a bit, letting loose a flare of chakra to catch Jiraiya's attention. The sannin arrived moments later. "What did you find." Naruto motioned towards a broken patch of wall. "Here, look at this."

Jiraiya frowned, "It's a patch of broken wall, probably hit by a large piece of rubble falling from the castle."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "And you're supposed to be a Sannin, look closer."

Jiraiya examined the rubble a bit more closely, finally spotting what Naruto had been talking about. "The rubble collapsed inwards, towards the castle. If rubble had hit it from the other side, the wall would have collapsed outwards."

"Yeah, there's no sign of an elemental attack powerful enough to destroy the wall either. Whoever knocked it down, used brute force."

"Tsunade has a technique where she can use her chakra control to make her punches inhumanly powerful. Can you tell who's been here recently?"

"Way ahead of you Ero-sennin." Naruto already had Ishiki no To-Remu activated. He walked around the area in a slow circle, inhaling deeply. He stopped, picking up a senbon from the ground. He gave it a quick sniff, "Poison." He walked around a few more time before he was satisfied with his conclusions. "There were four people here, and one pig. Two of the people were female. One smells of medicine, and a little of poison. The other smells more strongly of medicine, has the scent of slugs on her as well."

"That sounds like Tsunade. But who are the other two?"

"One of them smells of medicine and blood. The other…blood, snakes, and strange chemicals."

Jiraiya tensed visibly, muttering the name with anger in his tone. "Orochimaru."

"Yeah, it looks like he sought out Tsunade. I wonder why?"

"Sarutobi-sensei rendered Orochimaru's arms useless during his fight. The damn snake must be trying to restore them. Did she leave with him? Can you pick up a trail?"

"Do you tell ninja hounds how to track too? They left separately, Tsunade headed back into the town. Follow me." Naruto turned, walking steadily back towards the city. He covered half a mile in about twenty minutes before coming to a stop at a bar. He sat there for a while, then circled it in a slow circle. Naruto's bloodline faded as he turned to face Jiraiya. "She's in here. Bars usually smell pretty strongly, a lot of smoking and alcohol. It'll probably cover up her scent. Once we get in there, you'll have to find her."

"Not a problem, let's go." Naruto flashed a small smile, his first since learning of Yugito's condition, then headed towards the bar.

Only to be stopped as the bouncer stepped in front of him. "You look pretty young gaki, I can't let y-"

Naruto had raised his head, locking gazes with the man. One glance conveyed such a perfect mixture of supreme confidence, barely restrained violence, and simmering rage that the bouncer's voice died in his throat.

"You were saying?"

The bouncer's mouth flapped comically for a few moments before he found his voice. "N-nothing, go ahead."

"I thought so." He pushed past the man, walking into the bar. Jiraiya followed after him, flashing the poor man a disarming grin. Naruto paused as he entered the building. "Okay Ero-sennin, where is she?"

Jiraiya walked past him, sliding into a booth at the far side of the bar. He leaned forward, looking at the blonde woman sitting across from him. "Long time no see, Tsunade."

**Author's Note****: Well, I hope you didn't mind the delay of this chapter too much. Unfortunately, I had my Final Exams last week and was a bit too busy to get this one out on time. My last chapter, however, did mark a milestone as this story eclipsed the 100,000 hit mark. I'd like to thank all those who read and enjoy my story, especially those who have left me reviews. The number of reviews for my last chapter was down a bit, but I hope that the number of reviews per chapter will increase as the story continues to grow in popularity. My goal for this story is to reach the 1,000 review mark, and every last one helps.**

**I would also like to address two questions concerning the stages of To-Remu Yajuuki I received in reviews. The first was when I would reveal the second stage of the bloodline, Yousu no To-Remu (Aspects of the Totem). I realize my explanation may not have been as clear as I thought; but Yousu no To-Remu consists of Mantoru no To-Remu, Chikara no To-Remu, and the other powers of the bloodline besides To Remu Konjou: Gonge that the Araikis activate after Megurushi no To-Remu. The other question was whether the Araikis still benefitted from the effects of Megurushi no To-Remu while one of their Yousu no To-Remu is activated. The answer is yes, so long as their bloodline is activated and To Remu Konjou: Gonge is not in use the effects of Megurushi no To-Remu remain active.**

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**To-Remu Konjou: Gonge: Translates to Totem Spirit: Incarnate. This is the third stage of To-Remu Yajuuki, where the bearer creates an avatar out of his chakra and allows his/her totem to manifest in the physical world. The size and power varies with the amount of chakra put into the technique; from something barely noticeable to an avatar the size of a boss summon. It is without a doubt a powerful technique, though a difficult one to master.**


	19. Chapter 18: The Slug Princess

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Tsunade looked up at Jiraiya, downing another dish of sake. "Jiraiya, what brings you here?"

Jiraiya smiled disarmingly, "What, can't a guy just drop by to say hi to his old teammate?"

"Cut the crap Jiraiya, I know I'm not that easy to find. If you're here it's because you were looking for me. Even I can't fathom why you'd drag a Kumo-nin to see me though."

"I see that you can still manage to sober yourself up at will, still wish you'd teach me that trick."

"Don't you remember what happened last time I tried to teach you a medical jutsu? Now, what the hell are you here for?"

Jiraiya hesitated a minute before speaking, shuddering at the memory. "Fine, since you're in a bad mood I guess I should just get straight to the point. Our sensei died in combat against Orochimaru, but I suppose you already know that from your chat earlier today." He ignored the sudden glare she sent his way, "So now, the Council of Konohagakure no Saito in all its infinite wisdom has named you the Godaime Hokage of Kohona. What do you say?"

"No."

"Think about it Tsunade, this is a chance for you to fulfill their-"

He was cut off as Tsunade slammed her fist down onto the table, "Don't you dare mention them to me Jiraiya." Silence reigned at the table for a moment, during which Tsunade turned to face Naruto. "You still haven't explained why the gaki's here."

"This is Araiki Naruto. He's one of the bearers of the recently created To-Remu Yajuuki bloodline and son of the Yondaime Hokage."

"Humph, and I suppose you brought him here to try to convince me to agree to the proposition."

Naruto leaned forward, looking Tsunade dead in the eye. "I could care less whether you become the next Hokage or not, the leadership of Konohagakure no Sato is no concern of mine. But you're coming back to Konoha with us."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. She was one of the Sannin, one of the most powerful and fiercely independent women in all of the elemental nations. She couldn't remember the last time someone had told her that she was going to do something (excluding Shizune's frequent attempts to get her to stop drinking or gambling), and now this little gaki had the balls to try it. She leaned forward as well, venom lacing her tone. "And why, would I go back to that accursed village."

"Because someone I love needs your assistance. She fought in defense of **your** village to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. Now her life's in danger and I need you to heal her."

"She's an idiot," Naruto's fingers tightened around the table, the wood creaking in protest. "People who gamble their lives to protect others are all idiots. All of Konoha's Hokages have died trying to defend that accursed village, as have many others."

This time it was Naruto who brought his fist down on the table, and he didn't restrain himself as much as Tsunade had. The bouncer would have tried to throw just about anybody else out of the room for shattering a table like that. But he didn't dare get in between a quartet of obviously upset shinobi; especially not after Naruto had cowed his so thoroughly with a glance. Naruto stared Tsunade dead in the eye, his voice quiet yet sharp enough to etch steel. "Don't you dare insult Yugito-chan for being brave enough to do something when you aren't."

"There's a fine line between bravery and foolishness kid. Life isn't like money. Once you lose it you can't get it back, a life is something that even I won't gamble."

Naruto didn't avert his stare from Tsunade, but his next words were obviously directed at Jiraiya. "Your council screwed up. To think, they nominated a coward to lead the village."

Tsunade felt her jaw clench, eyes narrowing further. "What was that?"

"I said you're a coward, afraid to risk your life. What kind of shinobi is afraid of putting their life on the line, afraid to fight. I bet you wouldn't even fight me right now."

"You're lucky that I don't want to get thrown out of this bar Gaki."

Naruto was already on his feet, he didn't even glance back over his shoulder as he walked away. "I was heading out back. Of course, I can understand if you're content to sit in here and wallow in your sake." Then he was out the door, a nervous Jiraiya rushing out after him.

He caught up to Naruto as the young Kumo-nin was stretching in the back alley. "Kid, what do you think you're doing? You don't stand a chance against her."

"I know."

"Then what the hell are you thinking?"

"That with luck this'll show her that shinobi need to take risks. Though driving that point through to her doesn't seem terribly likely. So instead, I'm hoping to at least prove to her that I'm someone who should be taken seriously, not some wet behind the ears gennin."

"You are a gennin."

"In rank yes, but not skill. And I'm hardly wet behind the ears. Besides, it's entirely possible that I earned my promotion in those exams. I just didn't stick around Konoha long enough to find out."

"Still you don't stand a chance against her. She could probably kill you in thirty different ways before you could bat an eyelash."

"We both know that she's not going to try to kill me. She won't even take me seriously…probably. Besides, in case I'm wrong I'm sure that you'd be able to stop her."

Jiraiya shook his head slowly, his mind arriving at one conclusion. "You're crazy."

"Perhaps, but who was it that offered to train a shinobi from a rival village without an instant's hesitation. Love can make you do crazy things, whether it be for a loved one you've known all your life or a beloved student cut down before his time."

Jiraiya sighed; he really didn't have any response to that. It was at about that moment that Tsunade came storming out the door, a frantic Shizune flitting around her mentor and futilely trying to calm her down. "Hey gaki, you're still a gennin aren't you."

Naruto finished stretching, settling into a loose stance. "Yeah, what about it?"

Tsunade grinned, extending her hand before her and holding up her index finger. "One finger, that's all I'll need to beat you." Naruto flashed a feral grin, then charged Tsunade with an all-out dash. She smirked as she settled her weight back onto one foot, a hand held in front of her with fingers curled in preparation to flick the annoying blonde away. Naruto smirked at her reaction, then kicked it up a notch.

Megurushi no To-Remu was visible on him for a bare second before he started moving at full speed. He circled Tsunade in a fraction of a second, appearing behind her with his foot poised to strike her in the spine. Tsunade's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected the burst of speed, and was in a poor stance to evade or react. It was only her superior experience and training that allowed her to anticipate and evade the attack, and even then it was close.

She twisted and leapt back, evading the kick by the width of a hair and putting a bit of distance between the two. Here eyes narrowed, "That was pretty impressive for a gennin."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Rank doesn't necessarily indicate skill Tsunade, you should know that by now." Tsunade scoffed, and Naruto disappeared from view once again. Tsunade twisted herself to the side, letting Naruto's strike pass right by her. Naruto was forced to contort spectacularly; barely evading Tsunade's finger flick as he somehow, impossibly managed to leap away. He was darting forward again as soon as his feet touched the ground, moving in low to stay further away from those fingers. He brought his fist around in an arcing strike, aiming to buckle the back of Tsunade's knees. She raised her heel and tapped it down upon the ground.

Naruto stumbled, the ground cracked under the force of Tsunade's strike. He was force to throw his feet out from under him, leaping above Tsunade's leg sweep. It left him open, and Tsunade's finger flick caught him on the forehead. He felt his head snap back under the force of the impact, his hitaite tearing free of his head as he was sent tumbling back through the air. He hit the ground hard, turning his landing into a roll to absorb the impact before scrambling to his feet. "You used more than just your finger there."

She glared at him slightly, "Stop talking, I don't feel like standing here all night."

Naruto turned, picking up his hitaite and tying it into place around his forehead. "Oh, I've accomplished what I wanted to with that. Come on Jiraiya, we should probably find a hotel room for the night." The two males disappeared via shunshin, leaving the kunoichi behind.

Shizune lowered Tonton back to the ground, looking over at her master. "Shishou, what was he talking about?"

Tsunade just stared at the spot Naruto had occupied for a while, before spinning on her heel and marching back into the bar. "I need a drink."

Naruto waited until he and Jiraiya had retired to their room to the night before removing his hitaite and clutched his forehead. Jiraiya glanced over at him, "Something wrong kid?"

"I've got a splitting headache. How the hell does she hit that hard with a finger?"

Jiraiya chuckled, "She's got the best chakra control I've ever seen, it's practically inhuman. When she moves to strike something she channels a massive amount of chakra to the striking surface and releases it all at the precise moment of impact. As for the headache, here," he flipped a pill over to Naruto, "a painkiller."

Naruto sat there for a moment, examining the pill in his hand, "Interesting, I've never seen a blue painkiller before."

Jiraiya was beside him in an instant, tucking the pill away and pulling out a new one. "Uhh...forget about that." He held out the other pill, "this one will take care of your pain."

Naruto eyed him suspiciously, "Do I even want to know what the first pill was for?"

"Well, I'm going to bed. We'll have to try to work on Tsunade some more tomorrow."

Naruto climbed into his bed with a mutter of pervert.

Jiraiya insisted on waiting to try contacting Tsunade again the next day. He explained to Naruto that she was going to go out gambling, and that until she got it out of her system there was no way in hell she'd listen to anybody. Naruto grudgingly accepted, spending the day sitting cross-legged in the hotel room and studying fuinjutsu with Jiraiya. When night fell Jiraiya left Naruto with a scroll, insisting on meeting Tsunade by himself tonight.

It didn't take him long to find her, the woman he knew so well. She was on a stool at a restaurant stall, bottle of sake out in front of her. She didn't even glance at him as he sat down on the stool next to her, or as he poured himself a dish of sake from the bottle. The two sat in silence for several minutes until Jiraiya finally spoke. "He offered to bring them back didn't he?"

Tsunade tensed, and Jiraiya had his answer before the Slug Princess even opened her mouth, "How did you know?"

"He used his Edo Tensei during the invasion, brought back your grandfather and grand-uncle to help him fight Sensei."

Tsunade smiled bitterly, downing another dish of sake. "It figures, another Hokage dying in combat, dying in defense of the village. They all seem to go like that, there losing their lives before their time."

Jiraiya shook his head sadly, "You've changed Tsunade, allowed your demons take control of you. You're not the only shinobi with a difficult past, but you've let in ruin you. My memories of Konoha aren't necessarily the greatest either. My best friend defecting and trying to kill me, losing the apprentice I viewed as a son while he sealed a demon into my godson. Your experiences aren't that much worse than mine; I've just faced them while you've run away." He sighed, "I won't force you to take the position, and as much as I want to help out Naruto I won't even force you return to Konoha to heal anybody. We both know what the right choice is though; the question is whether or not you can find the courage to make it."

He rose to his feet, turning to exit the stall. "But know this Tsunade; Orochimaru plans to completely destroy Konohagakure. I can forgive you for turning down the position of Hokage, but if you help Orochimaru…I will kill you." Then he walked away, leaving Tsunade alone with her sake. She stayed there for a long time, staring at the table in front of her while downing dish after dish of the cheap liquor.

Naruto stayed up late that nigh, studying the scroll Jiraiya had left him long past midnight before finally going to bed. He awoke the following morning, with Jiraiya still gone somewhere. He slid out of bed, still fully clothed from the night before and padded across the hotel room to his door. He opened it to find himself facing Shizune, her hand raised to knock on the door. "Yes?"

"How did you-"

"I sensed your chakra signature." He turned and walked back into the room, putting on his hitaite and weapons pouches. "What're you here for?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Tsunade-sama."

"About what?"

"I wanted to tell you about her past, why she's so hesitant to return to Konoha."

Naruto sat down in a chair, sliding another one over to Shizune, "Go ahead."

"The necklace Tsunade had around her neck; she got it from her grandfather, the Shodai Hokage, when she was a little girl. It's been a source of great pain in Tsunade's life. She had one sibling, a brother a few years younger than her named Nawaki. His dream was to become Hokage, like his Grandfather and Grand Uncle before him. She gave him the necklace when he graduated from the academy, sure that he'd be able to achieve his dreams. Then he went on his first C-Ranked mission. Orochimaru was the one who broke the news to her. There had been an ambush by enemy shinobi. The body, I've heard from Jiraiya that it was one of the most gruesome sights he's ever seen, I've never heard Tsunade mention it.

Tsunade remained with Konoha and threw herself into her studies, becoming the best medic-nin the elemental nations have ever seen. She also became a strong proponent for including one medic-nin on every team of shinobi sent out on a mission. But she faced heavy opposition, even from her sensei. Konoha was in the middle of the Third Great Shinobi war, and just didn't have the resources to train that many medic-nin.

Then she met Dan. He had a younger sister who had died on a mission, just like Tsunade lost Nawaki. He believed that a medic-nin could have saved her life. He was determined to become Hokage, and implement Tsunade's proposal. He reminded her of both Nawaki and herself, they fell in love. Eventually she gave him the necklace, trusting him to carry on Nawaki's dream.

About a year later they were on a mission together. They were fighting against a bunch of Iwa-nin. Dan got caught by a Doton jutsu, it shredded his organs. Even Tsunade couldn't heal him. He died lying on the ground in the middle of nowhere. Her hands were inside him, desperately trying to heal him when he died. She was covered in his blood as she watched the second person she had given that necklace to died.

She was never the same after that. She developed her hemophobia after that, making her a far less effective medic. Even so, she remained in Konoha until the end of the war. She was different though, more distant. Once the war was over she left Konoha, promising herself that she'd never go back."

Naruto sat quietly for a moment, adjusting his weapons pouch before speaking. "That's it?"

Shizune stared at him for a moment in surprise. "What do you mean that's it?"

"We're shinobi. We're going to face loss, it's part of the job description. Kaa-san has lost a lot too. She was married at the age of seventeen, and was sent on a mission with him six months later. They were fighting against Kiri-nin and he knocked her out of the way of a sword strike. She was blinded by blood at the time so she doesn't know exactly what happened, but she knows the results. Her husband had a sword through his chest, the same blade protruding from his back and stabbing her in the lower abdomen. Her other two teammates managed to drive the Kiri-nin off but her husband died on the battlefield from his wounds.

She was rushed back to Kumogakure for treatment. After surgery she awoke to find that her husband was dead, that the stab wound had aborted his child in a pregnancy she was yet unaware of, and that due to the damage inflicted on her womb she'd be unable to bear another child. She was devastated, and left active duty for a while. But she did what a shinobi has to do; she faced her demons and lived them down. There's no doubt that it left its mark on her, and I've never heard her speak of it. But she lived through it; she continued to live her life. She eventually ended up going on a mission to Konohagakure where she kidnapped a small boy whom she adopted a few days later. She's happy now, but it doesn't look like the same can be said of Tsunade.

I've known Yugito-chan since I was four. We were together a lot, training and otherwise. I know her almost as well as she knows herself, and am closer to her than pretty much anybody. She told me we were going to start dating a few months before we became gennin, and now she's dying. I'm here to bring Tsunade back to heal her. But even if I fail, even," his voice broke off or a minute before continuing, "even if Yugito-chan dies I'm not about to abandon my village. Any coward can run away from his past, it takes courage to face it."

Shizune opened her mouth to respond, but stopped as Naruto threw himself out of his chair. The young Araiki made it to the window at practically the same time as a kunai embedded itself in the far wall. He peered out the window, frowning with worry. "It's Jiraiya, he doesn't look too good."

"What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know, you're the medic. Check him out and tell me." With that Naruto leapt out the window, Shizune following close behind. He aimed his leap well, landing a few feet in front of Jiraiya. "Damn…what happened to you?"

"I think Tsunade slipped something into my drink. My chakra's all messed up, I can barely even throw a kunai straight."

"Barely throw a kunai straight? That throw came within two inches of taking off Shizune's ear."

"Whatever," Jiraiya looked past Naruto to the kunoichi behind him. "Shizune, why would she want to poison me anyway?"

Shizune stood there for a moment, a look of realization appearing on her face. "Orochimaru gave her a day to make her decision before meeting with her again."

Jiraiya growled, "You better get this poison out my system now, we've got to catch up to her." Shizune rushed over, her hands already glowing green as she examined Jiraiya's condition.

She worked on him for about half an hour before telling them that she wouldn't be able to help him any more. Jiraiya estimated that he'd only be at about 30% of his usual effectiveness; they decided that it would have to do. Shizune then hurriedly led them to the meeting spot, the same location that Orochimaru had confronted Tsunade at two days ago. Naruto gave a low whistle of appreciation as they arrived, "Damn, I'm not going to need my bloodline to track her this time."

Jiraiya and Shizune just nodded in mute amazement. It appeared that Tsunade had turned down Orochimaru's offer. The walls all around the area were demolished, presumably annihilated by Tsunade's superhuman punches. A trail of rubble and craters lead off into the distance, supposedly the route Tsunade had taken in pursuit of a fleeing Orochimaru and Kabuto. Jiraiya was perhaps the most surprised of them all. He hadn't seen Tsunade get mad enough to cause this much damage since, well, since before Dan had died. "Come on; let's see if she needs our help."

It wasn't at all difficult to track her. They merely had to follow the series of craters and impact zones through the series of walls and out past the outskirts of the city. It took them about twenty minutes to catch up to her. Orochimaru was standing calmly off to the side. Tsunade was bearing down on Kabuto, fist raised. Then there was a flash of steel as Kabuto used a kunai to slice open his own palm, splattering Tsunade with a spray of blood. Naruto was puzzled for a moment, but then remembered Shizune's mention of hemophobia. Sure enough, Tsunade froze up as soon as the blood hit her. It was all the opening Kabuto required to plant his fist into the Sannin's gut, sending her bouncing away. Then he straightened, examining his hand wound without even bothering to turn around. "It seems we have more company Orochimaru-sama."

"Ku ku ku, yes…my idiot teammate and Tsunade's little caretaker of an apprentice. But they brought young Naruto-kun so there's at least some benefit to this. Do be sure to leave the boy alive."

Naruto clenched his fist, taking half a step forward before being stopped as Jiraiya placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Naruto, stay out of this."

Naruto glared at him. "Why, I can fight. And I am not going to sit here and get talked about like an object."

Jiraiya frowned, "You're letting your anger and frustration get the better of you. I've noticed it ever since you found out about Yugito's condition. If you fight like this you're going to make a mistake, and that's something you can't afford to do. Especially with these opponents. Orochimaru may not have the use of his arms, but he's still extremely dangerous. And Kabuto," Jiraiya's eyes drifted to Tsunade's hunched form, "he's a lot stronger than he ever let on. You may be pretty good for your age, but you're out of your league here. Shizune and I will handle this."

Shizune responded almost immediately, "Hai Jiraiya-sama."

"Nice to see someone being sensible today. Okay you take four eyes over there; I'll deal with my traitor of a teammate personally." Both shinobi vanished from sight, heading towards their respective targets. Jiraiya was in front of Orochimaru in an instant, the Snake Sannin weaving and retreating from a sudden barrage of furious taijutsu attacks. Kusanagi shot out of his mouth, slicing a thin cut on his arm that oozed blood. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" There was a huge puff of smoke, and the two Sannin suddenly found themselves standing atop one of Orochimaru's summons. The snake twisted, turning in preparation to strike at Jiraiya.

It was too slow though, as Jiraiya's hands blurred through a series of seals. "Doton: Yomi Numa!" Chunks of dirt flew through the air as the ground liquefied beneath the snake, immobilizing it. Jiraiya cursed under his breath, Tsunade's poison was still affecting him. He had intended to completely sink the snake. He didn't have time to think about it much as Orochimaru's neck elongated, the fanged mouth shooting towards him. Jiraiya ran through another series of seals, his hair elongating to surround him as Orochimaru's neck wrapped around him. He felt the snake's teeth bite into his hair, piercing three quarters of the way through the protective covering. It was much deeper than he should have been able to manage.

Orochimaru broke away, a sadistic smile spreading across his face. "Kukuku we are both handicapped Jiraiya, but you're far worse off than I am."

Jiraiya smirked, his hair receding back to its usual pony-tail. "We'll see about that."

Shizune closed on Kabuto quickly, pulling up short and bringing her arm up in front of her. She pushed her sleeve up and pulled a wire trigger in one motion, launching a small volley of poisoned senbon from the launcher mounted on her arm. Kabuto was hardly surprised, having seen it in action when Orochimaru first confronted Tsunade. He slid smoothly to the side, avoiding the barrage with ease. Then he rushed forward, activating his chakra scalpel and swiping at Shizune.

She leapt backwards, barely avoiding the attack. Her cheeks puffed suddenly as she spat a trio of senbon at Kabuto. He just ducked, letting the needles ricochet harmlessly off of his hitaite. Shizune continued to leap backwards, running through a short series of seals. Her cheeks puffed again, this time expelling a cloud of purple gas. She landed lightly on her feet, studying the cloud intently. One breath of that gas would be enough to kill pretty much anybody. The only question was whether or not she'd caught him in it.

Then she felt a sudden, searing pain in the back of her legs. She looked down and saw Kabuto's arms sticking out of the ground, each hand sporting the glow of an active chakra scalpel. She collapsed helplessly to the ground, her hamstrings severed cleanly. Kabuto rose from the ground, a smug smile on is face as he adjusted his glasses and walked past his downed opponent. He calmly walked towards Tsunade, maybe now he could make her see reason.

He was almost there when he heard a sudden crackle of static electricity. Naruto came out of his shunshin with his foot already most of the way to Kabuto's face. It finished its journey soon enough, and Naruto felt Kabuto's nose break with a satisfying crunch as the older boy was thrown backwards from the force of the kick. He turned, taking in Tsunade's hunched and blood-spattered form while keeping track of Kabuto out of the corner of his eye. The young medic was slowly regaining to his feet, starting to stalk over in his direction again. Naruto created a few Seiteki Bunshin, sending them forward to delay Kabuto long enough for him to talk to Tsunade.

He faced the Sannin, looking down at her. "Look at what you've let yourself become, it's pathetic." Tsunade had no visible reaction to his words, so Naruto just figured he'd have to poke a bit harder. "Shizune told me about what happened to you, about Dan and Nawaki. They'd be ashamed of you right now. Their dream was to become Hokage, to protect Konohagakure and its shinobi. And now you have the chance to do it, the chance to honor their memories by fulfilling their dreams for them. But instead, you're scared. You've forgotten the most important lesson a shinobi needs to learn.

I wonder if Jiraiya was the smartest of the bunch of you. Orochimaru may always have been considered a genius and you may have been a medical prodigy, but Jiraiya's the only one of you Sannin that seems to have remembered the most important lesson a ninja must learn. A shinobi who loses the will to protect is a shinobi who's lost himself. We're powerful beings, and the temptation to abuse that power doesn't lie far away. Neither does the temptation to run away from the sorrows our lifestyle eventually brings.

That's why the will to protect is so important. It gives us a purpose, keeps those self-destructive urges in check. Without it, a shinobi may well become an amoral killing machine like Orochimaru. Or perhaps an old shell of her former self that hinds from her troubles behind sake bottles and slot machines. You were a great shinobi once Tsunade. You can be again, if only you learn to face the demons of your past. Now, if you'll excuse me." He looked up as Kabuto finished destroying the last of his clones, "I have a battle to fight."

"Y-you can't be serious."

"And why not?"

"He's stronger than you, you don't stand a chance. You'll be throwing your life away."

"No, I'll be putting it on the line for something that's important to me." Naruto thought to add in that Orochimaru wanted him alive, but figured that would spoil the mood. "I'll put my life on the line for Yugito-chan's without a second thought. My only misgivings regarding the decision would be concerning her reaction to my death as opposed to my own sense of self-preservation. For Yugito-chan, for anything important, I am willing to risk my life. That is what it means to be a ninja."

**Author's Note****: This chapter was an interesting one to write, namely because it got me thinking about Tsunade's past a bit more. In the manga/anime she was pictured as someone who was (temporarily) broken by a horribly tragic past and I've never looked much deeper than that before. Really, compared to the pasts of many other shinobi Tsunade's isn't anything extraordinary.**

**I discussed Jiraiya's briefly in the chapter, and that didn't even touch on what happened to any family he may have had. There are others who must have had rough lives as well. We already know what happened to Sarutobi with his prized student, at one point he also had another child and (presumably) a wife. Then there's Kakashi who at one point lost everyone who was important to him. And we only know the story behind three of those losses; Minato, Sakumo, and Obito. All in all it's made me more curious about the pasts of all the other characters. Except Gai, I don't want to know what kind of trauma makes a guy act like that.**

**That said, I was pleasantly surprised when my last chapter brought in the second-highest number or reviews to date. I'd like to thank all my readers for that and urge them to continue leaving reviews.**

**Translations:**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Doton: Domi Yuma: Translates to Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld**


	20. Chapter 19: The Godaime Hokage

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Kabuto advanced slowly towards Naruto, a solemn look on his face as he adjusted his glasses. "You know Naruto-kun, it is not necessary for us to fight each other."

"I'm afraid I don't agree with you there. You're trying to bring Tsunade back with you to heal Orochimaru's arms, I need her to come to Konoha and heal Yugito-chan. The two seem to be mutually exclusive."

"I can get Yugito out of Konoha, at which point she could be healed by either Tsunade or myself. Orochimaru-sama has taken a great interest in you two, I'm sure you'd benefit from his protection and training."

Naruto barked out a harsh laugh. "Orochimaru's protection? I've heard plenty about his experiments and kinjutsu. I saw what he tried to mark us with back in the Forest of Death. Orochimaru doesn't know how to protect someone. He just uses them, and tells them whatever he thinks they need to hear if he's to get them on his side."

The aura of a chakra scalpel appeared around Kabuto's hands. "It's a pity you feel that way; Orochimaru desires your services as a willing servant. But he's not averse to the notion of having you as a test subject."

Naruto's eyes narrowed as Megurushi no To-Remu blazed to life. "He's not about to get me as either of those." Then the two shinobi flickered from sight as they hurled themselves at each other headlong. When he was within five feet of Kabuto Naruto dipped his body down into a sudden dodge. He dropped his torso low and to the right, forcing him to place a hand on the ground for balance as he moved out to the side. His pre-emptive dodge caused Kabuto's chakra scalpel to pass harmlessly overhead, and gave Naruto an opening of his own. He lashed out with his left foot, aiming to use his claws to shred the medic's hamstring. Kabuto predictably leapt back to avoid the slash, allowing Naruto to retain the offensive.

The young Araiki continued to twist his body, planting his left foot on the ground as he lifted the right for a kick that put his heel in line to shatter Kabuto's kneecap. There was little the medic could do to dodge it in mid-air, and after landing he'd have the barest of moments to react before the blow landed. Unfortunately for Naruto, those barest of moments was enough.

Kabuto took a short leap to the side as soon as his foot hit the ground. His second foot touched down just behind Naruto's sweeping leg as the medic's first leg came down in front of it, allowing him to trap Naruto's leg between his own. Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as he desperately flung himself sideways. His choice of movement proved to be wise as it prevented the scissor-like motion of Kabuto's legs from snapping his lower leg like a twig. He was, however, dragged painfully across the ground. Still, at least he'd be able to stand.

When his impromptu trip was over Naruto kicked out with his heel again, aiming at Kabuto's knees and forcing the medic to release Naruto's leg. Naruto didn't waste any time, planting a hand on either side of his head as he snapped the muscles of his abdomen. He flipped back to his feet, activating Mantoru no To-Remu as he saw Kabuto darting towards him. Kabuto's hand shot forward, his chakra scalpel slapping against Naruto's upper arm. As it did, Naruto recomposed the chakra surrounding his arm into wind chakra.

Both combatants recoiled with a hiss of pain. Naruto flexed his fingers with a grimace as he looked down at his left arm. His fingers were the only thing he could move on that arm, Kabuto's attack had severed most of the muscles and tendons of his upper arm. It would be useless until his healing factor could repair the damage. Kabuto wasn't very well off either. His hand was a mangled, bloody mess. The wind chakra had inflicted innumerable gashes; in some places the bone was visible. Even so, the bleeding seemed to be slowing much faster than was usual. It appeared that Naruto's foe also had a healing factor. The young Araiki's eyes narrowed as he regarded his opponent's injury. At the moment, each combatant was similarly handicapped. Naruto couldn't move his arm, but Kabuto's hand was useless. Whoever healed first would have the advantage. And as neither was sure of the relative speed of the other's healing factor both would have to move fast or risk having their opponent finish healing before them. Things had gotten interesting.

"Interesting," Kabuto muttered as he looked down at his hand, "I must admit that I wasn't expecting that."

"If you'd have stayed for the prelims you would've known. I suppose you learned about it eventually though, and now you know that it's too dangerous to use your chakra scalpel against me."

"True," Kabuto pulled an unorthodox looking kunai with a hooked tip from a pouch at his side, "but a standard kunai can have the same effect. It's a bit messier of course, but it'll do in a pinch." Kabuto darted forward as Naruto leapt back, the kunai coming within a hair's width of Naruto's uninjured arm. Naruto landed lightly. He was forced to immediately spin to the side and duck to avoid two more swipes of the kunai. However, he was unable to dodge Kabuto's sidekick. It caught him in the gut, throwing him backwards and knocking the breath from his lungs.

He scrambled to his feet, gasping for breath as Kabuto pressed his advantage. "That was quite the impressive use of elemental manipulation earlier Naruto-kun," Kabuto said between attacks, "but it seems to be of limited use. You can't keep it up continuously nor activate it quickly. In short, you need to either be a great deal faster than your opponent or expecting the blow. If anything, I'm faster than you. And even for the attacks you can see coming if I use my kunai your wind chakra won't be able to cut me. That technique won't help you again; do you really think you can beat me without it?"

"Overconfidence has been the fall of many a shinobi Kabuto, don't count me out quite yet." As he spoke Naruto snuck a glance at Kabuto's injured hand. Skin was growing back and it appeared almost healed. Naruto's arm was almost mobile again as well, but Kabuto had no way of knowing that. He'd be able to use it to make a surprise attack, and he'd have to make it count. Kabuto was too good for him to beat otherwise.

He was forced to lurch awkwardly to avoid the next thrust of the kunai, throwing his shoulder backwards while leaning to the side as the kunai sailed over him. The sudden maneuver robbed him of his balance and he was forced to fall into a backwards handspring, using his lone arm to support his weight as he retreated. Kabuto paced him, and as soon as Naruto regained his feet he leaned back sharply at his waist as the kunai whistled above his nose. The muscles of his abdomen tightened as he snapped back to an upright position, splaying his claws in preparation to rake across Kabuto's vulnerable abdomen. But Kabuto's slash had been no more than a feint. His arm had barely made it past Naruto's head before its motion stilled and reversed.

The back of his hand struck Naruto across the side of his face, throwing him backwards. Naruto twisted in midair, getting his good arm beneath him to break the fall before rolling to absorb his momentum. Kabuto hadn't pursued this time. Instead he'd used the opening to reach into his weapon pouch with his free, and freshly healed, hand to draw a second kunai. Naruto grimaced, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to use his left arm properly yet but he had little choice. He wouldn't be able to hold off a foe of Kabuto's caliber for more than a second or two with one arm. Even with two he wouldn't last much longer. He needed to end this fight quickly, and to do that he needed to take a risk. The next exchange of blows would decide the fight, one way or the other.

Naruto saw Kabuto take both kunai in a backhand grip before focusing his gaze on the center of the traitor's chest. He began gathering a subtle amount of chakra in his left hand as his eyes narrowed in concentration; he couldn't afford to miss here. Then Kabuto sprinted forward, Naruto surging to meet him. The young Araiki tilted his right side forward as he ran, shielding his left arm with his body. It would seem to be a perfectly reasonable, a perfectly instinctual, reaction to Kabuto; shielding his injured arm from further harm. But deception was one of the keys to being a shinobi; Naruto did it to hide the Rasengan forming in his left hand.

Naruto waited until Kabuto burst into sudden motion, the traitor fully committing himself to his attack. Only then did Naruto spin around, revealing the spiraling orb of chakra in his right hand. Kabuto's eyes widened in surprise even as his first two attacks landed, slicing across Naruto's right leg and arm in a spray of blood. The left leg was Kabuto's next target, and Naruto found himself crumpling towards the ground, but Kabuto's attack hadn't been quick enough. Even as the second kunai tore across Naruto's forearm the Kumo-nin felt his attack hit home. "Rasengan!"

The spiraling orb of chakra slammed against Kabuto's chest, tearing through the sturdy cloth of his tabard and tunic like rice paper. The attack ground against him for an instant, subjecting the medic to pain the likes of which he had never felt before detonating in a concussive burst. Naruto collapsed to the ground, unable to move his limbs after Kabuto's latest attack. Kabuto, however, was sent flying backwards, crashing into a boulder hard enough to shatter it.

Naruto raised his head to see Kabuto slumped against the rock. "Stay down," he murmured, "please just stay down." But it was not to be. Kabuto slowly pulled himself to his feet with a slight grunt of pain.

"That was impressive Naruto-kun, but ultimately futile. I'll still be able to heal from the damage, and I can still-" He was wracked by a sudden cough, and saw his blood splatter the ground in front of him as he became aware of a coppery taste in his mouth. "No," he muttered as his legs trembled beneath him, "that's impossible." He stumbled forward a few more steps on unsteady legs. "He couldn't have…caused that much damage…can't…heal." Naruto allowed himself a smirk of satisfaction as he saw his foe collapse, unconscious before he hit the ground.

Naruto didn't realize Tsunade had moved until a green-glowing hand was pressed against his wounded arm, making it feel better almost immediately. "Your hemophobia…"

Tsunade sighed, "Naruto, you were right about me. I allowed my past to cripple me, I lost track of who I was."

Naruto started to smile, but stopped as he looked past the lone Sannin towards the remaining two of the trio. "Unless you want to be crippled by Kusanagi, I'd suggest moving."

Tsunade's eyes widened slightly in surprise as she snapped her head around. Her hand tightened around Naruto's wounded arm, drawing a surprised yelp of pain. Then she leapt away, bringing both herself and Naruto to safety a split-second before Kusanagi embedded itself into the dirt. As Tsunade landed she saw Jiraiya attempt to rise to his feet, only to collapse as weight was put on his left foot. He was wounded, badly if his leg was completely unable to support his weight like that. Naruto was immobilized too, and Shizune. That was far too many sitting ducks against someone as dangerous as Orochimaru, even if he couldn't use his arms. Thankfully, she mused as she bit her thumb; she was a Sannin as well and had several options open to her that would make the situation a bit more favorable.

She saw Jiraiya bit his thumb as well, running through the same set of seals that she was. Orochimaru's eyes widened slightly as he leapt back, channeling chakra to the seals tattooed on his bloody arm. The three Sannin enacted the same jutsu simultaneously, acting more in concert than they had in well over a decade. So perfect was said timing that their three voices split the air as one. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

For a moment the entirety of the battleground was obscured by thick clouds of smoke. They didn't last too long, and cleared to reveal the Sannin standing atop their most powerful summons. Jiraiya crouched atop Gamabunta, the Toad Boss who had carried the Yondaime Hokage out to do battle with the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Orochimaru stood next to Kabuto atop Manda, the lord of the snake summons. Tsunade stood protectively over Naruto's prone form atop Katsuya, the Slug Queen. "Katsuya," Tsunade said quietly, "take the boy to Shizune. Tell her I want him healed as soon as possible."

"Yes my Lady." A bulge arose beneath Naruto, carrying him back towards Katsuya's tail. The bulge split off as it reached the end of Katsuya, forming a miniature version of the gigantic slug that carried Naruto over towards Shizune, who was almost done healing herself. Then Tsunade was distracted as Manda's sibilant hiss washed across the battlefield.

"So you've dared summon me again Orochimaru. Where are my sacrifices?"

"I'll have them for you after this fight is done. In the meantime, we have some old rivals that must be taken care of."

"I see…I have desired their demise for quite some time. Very well, I will accept a delay on my payment. But I expect it to be doubled next time I'm summoned."

Gamabunta blew a smoke ring as he slowly inched his blade out of his sheath. "I wouldn't presume that there'll be a next time Manda. I've been needing a new wallet, a snakeskin one would be nice."

Tsunade saw Manda's head swivel to look at Gamabunta and seized the moment. "Now Katsuya!" The summons didn't waste an instant, spitting a stream of acid at Orochimaru and his summon. Manda reacted instantly, uncoiling in a flash and leaving the acid to dissolve the rocks behind him as he sped towards Katsuya. Katsuya was much slower than Manda, unable to react in time to prevent Manda from wrapping her in his coils. Manda tightened his coils, attempting to crush the slug. But while Katsuya may not have had the same type of speed as Manda she was by no means without options.

She suddenly dissolved into a shower of smaller slugs, tumbling out of Manda's grasp. Tsunade went with her, and Katsuya reformed a safe distance away. Then it was Jiraiya's cry that rang across the field, "Bunta, let's get some oil!"

"Right." The toad's chest puffed out before he let loose a stream of oil. Jiraiya joined the fun as well, spitting a stream of fire on an intersecting course. The oil and fire met, turning into a raging inferno as it splashed around the snake summon. The flaming oil continued to crash down, columns of fire rising on the battlefield and obscuring Manda from view. At an unspoken signal the duo cut off their attack, waiting for the inferno to die down and grant them a view of their opponent. "Think we got him?"

"No, too easy." The pair stared into the flames along with Jiraiya and Tsunade, waiting for the flames to die down. As the fire thinned they saw Manda's outline silhouetted within. For a second they dared believe that they had taken out their foes. Then as the flames finally flickered out Jiraiya cursed under his breath, "It's just the skin."

Bunta's eyes scanned the field, "Then where's the snake."

Jiraiya saw the dirt start to shift, "He's underground!" No sooner had Jiraiya spoken then the ground burst in a shower of dirt. Bunta dropped his blade, catching the snake between his webbed hands. Then the dust settled and it was revealed that they were holding Manda's tail. Both Jiraiya and Gamabunta cursed under their breath. Manda surfaced behind Bunta, fangs poised to plunge into the toad. Then a shadow fell over him.

Orochimaru leapt aside as Manda looked up, seeing the descending form of Bunta's tanto. Tsunade gave a cry of effort as she struck the hilt with the heel of her hand, driving the blade through both Manda's upper and lower jaws before sinking it deeply into the ground. She came to a crouch atop the hilt; panting slightly due to the effort it had taken her to move the massive blade. "Damn, I was trying to put that through your brain. Or at least catch Orochimaru with it too."

Before she could continue Orochimaru's tongue shot towards her, forcing her to leap away to avoid being caught in a stranglehold. She landed on the ground, and was forced to leap to the side immediately to avoid Manda's thrashing coils. Orochimaru was on her in an instant. Tsunade though, had little trouble dodging away from his arm-less attacks and responding with a shattering punch to the side of the face. The force of the blow would have thrown Orochimaru away, if it wasn't for his ability to stretch his neck. So only his head went flying away, his body remained in place and his foot flew up to catch Tsunade in the gut.

She caught his foot in her hands to hold herself in place, then swung him around and smashed him into a boulder. He landed clumsily, his head too far away to see where he landed. As a result he stumbled, and caught Tsunade's next fist with his chest. His neck snapped like a whip as his body flew off in a different direction. She landed another punch that smashed him into the ground before his neck retracted to its normal length. It made it just in time to catch Tsunade's next fist on his cheek.

This time he was smart enough to let it carry him away. He landed in a heap, wasting little time in scrambling to his feet and moving twenty feet to Kabuto's side. His eyes narrowed as he spat a fang into the dirt. "You've made a mistake turning down my offer Tsunade. You aren't the only way for me to restore my arms, and I could have aided you as well." He shifted, causing a hand to rest on Kabuto as he began sinking into the ground. "Make no mistake, I will restore my arms. Then Konoha will burn, and you along with it."

She reached Orochimaru just as he disappeared into the ground, slamming her fist into the ground and creating a large crater. Orochimaru wasn't there though, seemingly gone as soon as he disappeared into the ground. "Damn…he got away." She turned to face Manda, taking one menacing step towards him before he too disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Jiraiya was deposited next to Tsunade by Gamabunta's tongue before the toad boss dismissed himself as well, Katsuya leaving shortly afterwards. "Sorry I couldn't have been more help. He caught me around my ankle with that tongue of his. It broke when he slammed me into the ground, I could barely stand."

Tsunade raised her green-glowing hands, "Hold still you old pervert, I'll get that fixed up for you."

"So, does this mean you'll accept the job?"

"Yes, he was right about me. I need to overcome my past, need to move on. He helped me realize that. Becoming Hokage is something I need to do both for myself and the village. Even if it wasn't I owe it to the village after abandoning it for so many years. That and I owe it to Naruto to try healing his girlfriend after the help he gave me."

"I'm glad to hear it." They turned to see Naruto walking towards them, moving steadily despite the blood covering his gi and slashed pants.

"Naruto, you shouldn't be on your feet so soon. I may have healed you but the damage to your limbs was extensive. You shouldn't be moving around so soon."

"Healing factor, Shizune, healing factor. It doesn't take me nearly as long to recover from wounds as it does most people, especially if a medic helps me."

"But-"

"I've had ten years to learn the limits of my healing factor Shizune; you've had a few minutes. Trust me on this." He turned to Tsunade, "It's nice to see that you've finally come to see reason though. How long until we head back to Konoha?"

"Well the high stakes blackjack tournament starts tomorrow at noon and-"

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose. "Allow me to rephrase that. Yugito-chan is in critical condition and every second counts. How long will it take you and Shizune to pack your stuff up so we can get back to Konoha as fast as possible?"

"You know, gaki, there aren't many that would speak to the Hokage in that tone."

"Well I found out earlier that it's the only way to get through to you."

Her finger flicked out faster than he could follow, knocking the hitaite from his head before hovering in front of his bare forehead. He winced, closing his eyes while dreading a finger-flick to his forehead. Instead he felt her lips press against it as she gave him a brief kiss on the forehead. "I know, thank you. Here," she held out her necklace in one hand, "you deserve it, for the help you've given me."

Naruto reached up, gently closing Tsunade's hand around the piece of jewelry, "No. It belongs with a Kage, or at least someone who aspires to the position. Heal Yugito-chan, and I'll consider us more than even."

She smiled, "If you say so, Shizune and I will be ready in half an hour. Meet us at the front gate."

Naruto picked at his gi, "I suppose I should probably change before I leave. I'll clean it after we get back to Konoha," he turned to look at Jiraiya, "How long will that take?"

"If we leave in half an hour and rest overnight, sometime late tomorrow afternoon."

"How long if we travel straight through?"

"Look, I know you want to hurry and get help to Yugito, but even Tsunade can't treat someone effectively after sixteen-plus hours of hard travel. You have to remember we're human, and we'd be wise not to push ourselves too far."

Naruto sighed, "I guess, suppose I'm just getting a little anxious. Well, come on Ero-sennin," he turned and started walking back to town, "let's get packed."

A smirk spread across Tsunade's face as she fought back the urge to laugh, "Ero-sennin?"

Jiraiya shook his head, "The kid has no respect for his elders."

Jiraiya's estimate had proven to be pretty good and the quartet of shinobi appraoched the gates of Konoha late the following afternoon. Jiraiya strode up to the chuunin on watch. Naruto didn't hear what he said, but whatever it was it worked. The remaining three shinobi passed through the gates without a word from the guards. Tsunade looked around, taking in her surroundings. "Jiraiya, is the hospital still in the same spot or did they build a new one?"

"It's still there."

"Good, Shizune let's go." The two medic-nin strode quickly down the street, the civilians parting before the determined shinobi even as whispers of Tsunade's return began spreading through the streets. Naruto and Jiraiya fell in step behind them, The Toad Sage noticing a hint of hesitation in Naruto's step.

"Worried kid?"

"If you're smart you'll be worried too. Kaa-san's probably in that hospital." Jiraiya's face paled as he began scanning the area around them, searching for an escape route. Naruto grabbed him by the front of his shirt, pulling him along. "Oh no, you're coming with me. The best way to deal with her yelling at you is to make sure she has someone else to yell at as well."

There was a hint of pleading in Jiraiya's voice as he responded, "You'd really put me through that after all the help I gave you tracking down Tsunade so quickly?"

Naruto snorted under his breath. "Women scorned have nothing on mothers worried. I'll take all the help I can get."

Tsunade stormed into the hospital, making a beeline to the front desk. "What room is Araiki Yugito in?"

The nurse looked up, an expression of surprise appearing on her face. "Ts-Tsunade-sama!"

"I've been lead to understand that her condition is quite severe, tell me what room he's in."

"Y-yes Tsunade-sama," the nurse looked down, shuffling through the papers on her desk. "She's in intensive care, room 713."

"Thank you." She spun on her heel, walking towards the stairs. Naruto followed her. For his earlier visit Jiraiya had lead him to the room from the outside, he didn't know how to get there from the inside. As they drew near Naruto fell back, walking alongside Jiraiya. "She's in there."

Jiraiya shuddered slightly, "What's she like when she's mad?"

"I'm not sure if I've ever made her as mad as she might be now."

"Wonderful."

Tsunade pushed the door open, scooping up the clipboard at the foot of Yugito's bed as a startled Akana rose to her feet. She was about to demand Tsunade's identity before she recognized the woman. "Tsunade?"

"If you're here that means that Naruto and Jiraiya…"

"They're out in the hall."

"I'll leave you to examine her charts in peace then." Akana turned and stormed out the door, brushing past Shizune on her way out.

"Shishou, she seemed angry about something."

Tsunade's tone was distracted as she continued to examine the charts, "Jiraiya probably did something stupid again."

Akana stepped into the hallway, her eyes narrowing as she stalked towards the two shinobi standing there, "You," they both swallowed heavily, bracing themselves for her wrath. She zeroed in on Naruto first. "What the hell were you thinking? Deciding to go wandering around with one of Konoha's Dentetsu no Sannin without even telling anyone before you left. What if he had been ordered to ensure that you couldn't return to Kumo? He could've made you disappear and you wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing about. Not to mention the possible repercussions from back home. You could've been declared a nuke-nin for pulling a stunt like that!"

Naruto opened his mouth to respond but was cut off as Akana whirled to glare at Jiraiya. "And you, how dare you take my son anywhere without talking to me. Especially when you knew of the possible consequences too. I never expected such, such reckless decision-making from a Sannin! This trip was the most ill-advised, reckless-"

"I'd do it again." Naruto flinched slightly as Akana fixed him with her gaze once more but held his ground. "Yugito-chan needed Tsunade to help her recover, so I did everything in my power to make sure that she returned to Konoha."

Akana sighed, "I can understand why you did it, but that doesn't mean I agree with it." She shot a glance back to the door, "We'll continue this conversation later, seeing as how I shouldn't yell too much in a hospital." She withdrew a scroll from one of the pouches on her vest, unsealing another grey vest from it. "You were awarded the rank of Chuunin based off of your performance in the exams," she tossed the vest at him, "You're just lucky they didn't take stupid decisions made after the fact into the equation."

Akana was cut off as the door opened and Tsunade stepped outside. "Yugito's condition is every bit as bad as you made it out to be, but I should be able to heal it." She looked into the room, "Shizune."

Tsunade's dark-haired assistant poked her head through the doorway. "Yes Tsunade-sama?"

"Find an administrator; tell them I want an operating room prepared as soon as possible for Araiki Yugito."

"I'm on it." Shizune set off down the hallway at a brisk pace, brushing past an elderly pair as they turned the corner.

Tsunade's eyes narrowed, "Koharu, Homura; word of my return must have spread quickly."

Homura took a half-step forward, "Indeed, the council is assembling as we speak. They are eager to meet with you."

"A council meeting can wait; I have work that needs to be done."

Koharu frowned, "Tsunade; you're the Godaime Hokage, you have responsibilities now. The council-"

"Any bureaucratic crap the council wants to do can wait. It'll make little difference whether it gets done now or tomorrow. That lack of urgency isn't a luxury I have with my newest patient. Or perhaps you'd like to explain to Kumogakure why Araiki Yugito died in bed because the best medic in the Elemental Nations was bogged down in a pointless meeting."

Koharu frowned, "Tsunade, listen-"

"No, you listen. The previous Hokage died leaving Konoha without a Hokage. The Council then appointed a new Hokage, so as soon as that person accepts the position she becomes the Hokage immediately. That means that you listen to me, not the other way around. I'll meet with the council tomorrow, barring any complications in Yugito's surgery. Am I understood?"

Both Koharu and Homura frowned, but were wise enough not to antagonize Tsunade any further. "Yes Hokage-sama."

"Good." The two turned around and left.

Shizune came back a few minutes later, telling Tsunade that Operating Room #2 would be ready in fifteen minutes. "Good, I'll go prep for surgery." She turned towards Naruto, "I'll have to ask you to wait somewhere else. This is a delicate procedure and it would be better to perform it unobserved."

Naruto nodded, "If you say so."

Akana crossed her arms, "Good, you're coming back to the hotel with me. I'm not done talking with you yet." Naruto swallowed hard, suddenly wishing that he could trade places with Yugito.

**Author's Note: And so ends the Tsunade Retrieval Arc. Now there's just the Sasuke Retrieval Arc and a few transitional chapters to go until I reach the time skip. I have a minor twist planned for the training trip. Then I plan on having less Konoha, more Kumo, and more divergence. It should make for a good read. Well, with that said I'd like to thank you for your reviews and urge you to continue leaving them.**

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu: Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Translates to Summoning Jutsu.**


	21. Chapter 20: Recovery

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Naruto spent the next half hour getting thoroughly chewed out by Akana. Meitoku had, wisely, decided to leave a few minutes into the rant. Naruto couldn't be certain, but he swore he heard a snicker from his usually stoic teammate as the boy walked past him. After she finally ran out of steam Naruto went back to the hospital and took a seat in the hall outside of the operating room. He sat there for two hours in what, for him, was an admirable feat of patience.

He was on his feet the moment the operating room light blinked off though, waiting for Tsunade to emerge. She didn't make him wait long, pushing the door open a few minutes later. He looked at her eagerly until she spoke, "Yugito's going to be fine. Judging from what you told me about the occasional sedative effects of your bloodline and what I was able to observe she should be awake late tonight. She probably shouldn't move around for a while though."

Naruto leaned back against the wall, letting out a deep sigh as he felt the weight of the world fall from his shoulders. "Thank you, thank you so much."

"It was the least I could do. Now I should go see what kind of condition my house is in."

"Isn't there a Hokage Manor here?"

"My grandfather built practically this entire village, including both the Hokage Manor and the Senju Clan estate where he settled his family. He made one bigger than the other."

"Whatever, I'm going to go wait for Yugito-chan to wake up. Umm…what room is she going to be in?"

"They're going to keep her in there so they can monitor her condition during her recovery. I'd wait a few minutes until the Doctors leave, then feel free to go in and wait." Naruto nodded once in understanding and sat down to wait. After the remaining medics left a few minutes later he slipped into the room before settling down into a chair to wait. Naruto felt himself relax for the first time since before the Finals and drifted off to sleep within a quarter hour.

He awoke with a start several hours later in the dead of the night. With someone moving around in unfamiliar surroundings his hand darted down to his kunai holster. Then he remembered where he was, and realized who was moving. He was at Yugito's bedside in an instant, watching her move restlessly for a few moments before cracking her eyes open. Her gaze swept lazily across the room and her voice was a sleepy murmur, "Where am I?"

"Operating Room at the Konoha Hospital."

"What happened?"

"I see your totem pulled the same stunt as mine did. Let's see…Suna Invasion, our fight with Gaara." He noted her wince, much the same as the one he had experienced when his memories came back.

"A building fell on me?"

"Yeah."

"What happened after that?"

"I had to keep fighting Gaara. If I had tried to dig you out he would have killed me in an instant. He called upon the full power of Shukaku, transforming himself into a sort of avatar for the demon. I had to respond with an avatar of my own, To-Remu Konjou: Gonge. I beat him, but received grievous wounds in the process and had my chakra drained almost dry. Jiraiya got there just as I lost consciousness, dug you out and got us both to the hospital."

His hand found hers under the bed sheets, their fingers twining together. "I was unconscious for several days while my totem was healing my wounds. When I woke up you were still unconscious. Rin told me that despite the treatment they gave you you were still hovering between life and death. Then Jiraiya came, told me that he was being sent off to bring back Tsunade to serve as the Godaime Hokage after Sandaime's death. I…kind of snuck off with him, Kaa-san wasn't too happy about it.

Anyway, Jiraiya managed to get word of her in the second city he visited and found her in the third. It wasn't easy to get her come here. She was reluctant to return to Konoha because of her past and took quite a bit of convincing. Orochimaru was after her too; apparently Sandaime did quite the number on his arms. Long story short; I helped Baa-chan find her will to protect again, she defeated Orochimaru, and the snake ran away. Then we came back to Konoha as quickly as we could and Tsunade operated on you. This is the first time you've been conscious in about a week."

Despite herself Yugito couldn't help but laugh slightly. "You make it sound so simple, like it was no big deal."

"It was simple. Rin said you were on the cusp of life and death and that all they could do was keep you alive. To heal you a better medic was needed. Tsunade was the only one I knew of and Jiraiya happened to be looking for her too. So I decided to make sure she came back."

Yugito simply lay still for a moment. Despite all the years she had known Naruto he never seemed to lose his ability to amaze her. When he had a goal in mind seized it with the entirety of person. He'd simplify it to the point of absurdity, which only made it all the more amazing when he succeeded. Truly Konoha had lost a fine shinobi that night ten years ago, had lost a fine man. She pulled herself more deeply into him, content to lapse back to sleep in his arms.

She still wasn't completely recovered though, and her rest was fitful. She awoke in the early hours of the morning, her stirring dragging Naruto with her into wakefulness. She insisted that he passed the time by giving her a more thorough account of the events that had transpired since the building fell on her, or at least as much of it as he knew.

It was with near-perfect timing that Tsunade walked into the room just as Naruto was finishing his tale. Actually it was more due to Tsunade listening outside the door but neither Araiki knew that due to Tsunade's skill at suppressing her chakra signature. "Nice to see you awake," she said as she raised a glowing green hand, "Now if you'd sit still for a few moments I need to check to see how your injuries are coming along."

She lightly pressed her hand to Yugito's forehand before skimming it over just about every square inch of Yugito's body. After finishing her examination she consulted her clipboard for a couple of seconds while the Araikis watched anxiously. "Well?"

"There were no complications yesterday in surgery and I can't find any now. Your wounds are almost healed and the healing factor your bloodline provides has done an excellent job of healing what I wasn't able to get to in surgery. You should probably remain in bed for the remainder of the day but I should be able to clear you to leave the hospital by tomorrow. It'll be a while before you want to undertake any strenuous activity. But you should be perfectly healthy in a few days." Tsunade saw both Kumo-nin relax, each showing noticeable signs of relief. She couldn't, however, tell which one of them appeared to be more relieved. She turned, walking towards the door. "Well, I need to get some politics out of my way so I have to leave now." She paused halfway out the door, "Oh, and Yugito."

"Yes?"

She turned back to glance at the young blondes, "That's some boyfriend you've got there. I'd be sure to hang onto him if I were you." Then she turned and walked out the door, grinning at the blushes spreading across the faces of both young Kumo-nin.

Yugito leaned back in her bed after Tsunade closed the door, her eyes scanning the room. "Umm…Naruto-kun," her blush deepened as she spoke. Not that Naruto, still not the brightest bulb when it came to women, noticed that.

"Yeah?"

"Some of my outfits are in the closet over there. And you know I've always hated hospital gowns."

"Ahh…you want me to leave so you can change."

"Not exactly…I don't think I can reach behind my back or bend very well at the waist. So…I'd need some help."

"Oh, ok. It might take me a while to find Kaa-san though; I'm not sure where she is at the moment."

Yugito sighed, her earlier embarrassment beginning to be replaced by exasperation. "Akana-sensei's not the member of our team I had in mind."

"Well if not Akana then…" Naruto stopped talking suddenly, flushing a deep red as he finally caught Yugito's meaning.

Yugito grinned, her own embarrassment easing slightly as she observed Naruto's. "Well, with all the trouble you went through to bring Tsunade here I figure you deserve a bit of a reward. I'm thinking a peek now and a date later when I can leave." She swung her legs out from under her blankets and pushed herself to her feet. That turned out to be a mistake as Naruto had to move pretty quickly to catch her after her knees buckled.

"Careful," he said, "you're not healed yet so don't push yourself too hard."

Yugito flashed him an exasperated look, "Shut up and get my clothes."

Yugito found getting dressed to be an…interesting experience to say the least. Like most shinobi, Naruto had steady hands and a delicate touch. When it came to seeing his girlfriend naked for the first time though. And when it came to touching his naked girlfriend, despite the contact being perfectly innocent, he turned into a bumbling idiot. Getting on her underwear was a particularly interesting part, and one in which both Araikis flushed a deeper shade of red than either of them thought possible. The bra was a bit tricky as well. That was due to Naruto, in typical male fashion, being clueless when it came to working the clasp. It didn't help that Yugito was physically unable to reach behind her back and help him. The only thing he had proven unable to do was braid her hair, he just didn't know how and seemed incapable of grasping her instructions. And since she couldn't get her hands behind her head to do it herself she was forced to put it into a loose ponytail and vow to teach Naruto how to braid her hair the way she liked it later.

Akana came to visit roughly an hour later, arching an eyebrow at Yugito." Her young charge eyed her warily, "What?"

"Nothing really. I just don't think I've ever seen you without your hair in its braid before."

"I can't reach behind me to braid it. And your son doesn't seem to be able to figure out how."

Akana sighed, motioning Yugito forward and sliding onto the bed behind her. Akana pulled out the tie that held Yugito's hair back and let her hands fall into a familiar pattern as she braided her student's hair. It didn't take her long, and she tossed Yugito a gray vest as she climbed off the bed. "It's good to see you conscious again Yugito, you had us worried for a while. Caused some of us to make some questionable decisions as well." Naruto had the good sense to look a bit meek at that statement. "The various officials who viewed the exams also determined that you're worthy of a promotion to Chuunin. Congratulations."

"Thank you Akana-sensei." She took a few moments to examine the vest. Kumo had always favored a style different than that of the other hidden villages. It actually left a decent portion of the upper right torso uncovered, along with the right shoulder. There was a strap of cloth that stretched over the left shoulder, and the end of it was fastened to the rest of the vest to hold it on. There were no scroll pouches on the front; although the cloth did overlap in several places to form a number of wide, shallow pockets that would be good for holding letters and tags. (AN: If you're having problems picturing it look at manga chapter 408 page 17. There's a pretty good image of Kirabi wearing one.) "I'll have to see if I can find a shop in this village that can embroider our clan symbol on the back of these."

"Oh," said Naruto sheepishly, "I wonder why I never thought of that."

Yugito's voice was filled with wry amusement when she responded, "Because you've always been blind when it comes to fashion. I remember arguing with you for a week to stop you from getting that orange outfit when we were younger."

Naruto crossed his arms in front of him, his voice defensive. "I still don't see why you get to wear orange."

Akana cut in, exasperation obvious in her tone, "Because her chakra is orange, it's the same reason you have the slate-blue. Besides, she uses it as an accent not the primary color." Knowing better than to argue with two women, Naruto wisely shut up.

By the time Tsunade actually got to the Hokage's office for the first time it was late in the afternoon. She had spent almost her entire day meeting with the council. She understood the necessity of it, after so much time away from the village she knew relatively little about its current state of affairs. And despite all the time she had put in she'd still need to invest a lot more, especially when it came to meeting some of the more prominent shinobi that were now under her command. And she had her coronation to sit through too. She was already getting the feeling that this job would have a lot less glamour and a lot more drudgery than most people thought. Not for the last time, she wondered what she'd gotten herself into.

And it seemed that there was more she'd have to deal with now too. The door to her office swung open. Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she continued to regard the document on her desk. There wouldn't be many shinobi in the village who would dare to enter her office unannounced. She had sent Shizune to see how well the hospital was run, Naruto was undoubtedly still spending time with Yugito, and Jiraiya had always come in through the window whenever he had visited Sarutobi-sensei. That left three, only one of which she could imagine coming to bother her now. She glanced up and had her suspicions proven as a bandaged old man walked in with the assistance of his cane.

"Danzo," she said, her tone quietly acidic, "to what do I owe this honor."

Danzo kept his expression composed, ignoring the sarcasm and contempt that was practically radiating from Tsunade. "I have come here to discuss something with you regarding the team Kumogakure no Saito sent to participate in the Chuunin Exams."

"Request denied."

Danzo frowned, pausing a moment before speaking again. "I have not yet made a request."

Tsunade rolled her eyes, "Your motives aren't exactly mysterious Danzo, neither are your views nor favored methods. I'm not about to strain our relations with Kumogakure any further by attempting to abduct either of them."

"With all due respect Hokage-sama, you may be letting your relationship with the boy cloud your judgment."

Tsunade glared at him, and there was ice in her tone as she spoke once more. "My previous interactions with Naruto notwithstanding, my concerns about Kumogakure's reaction are no less valid. I forbid you from trying to keep either of them in Konoha and will hold you personally responsible should anyone take action against them under mysterious circumstances."

"Surely you can't be serious. You know I'm not the only person in this village who wants them to stay in this village."

"Then you had better make sure nothing happens to them."

"I see," Danzo appeared calm on the outside but was seething internally. He knew his chances of convincing Tsunade to back him in this after Jiraiya's stunt were slim, but that didn't make him any less frustrated. He left, a Ne operative falling in step behind him as soon as he was out the door.

The operative didn't speak until they were out of the Hokage's Tower and further away from any prying ears. "It seems that Jiraiya's decision to bring Araiki-san with him had some unanticipated consequences Sir."

Danzo sighed. His Ne Operatives had their strengths, but sadly his conditioning that turned them into emotionless tools also left most of them practically useless when it came to matters of intrigue unless someone else was along to spell things out for them. "The problem in dealing with Jiraiya is that he plays the part of the fool so well that most people forget he's doing just that, _playing_ the part of the fool. He has reasons behind practically every action, even if he's the only one that knows what they are. This "unanticipated" consequence wasn't unanticipated by him."

"I see, sir."

"Of course you do," Danzo had to take care to prevent sarcasm from leaking into his voice. "Now go gather a team of operatives, make sure no one else is going to try something with those two. I'd rather avoid the inconvenience of an investigation if at all possible."

"Yes sir." The Ne Operative flickered from sight, leaving the old War Hawk alone with his thoughts. It looked like he was going to have to resign himself to fighting the same political battles with Jiraiya and Tsunade that he had with Sarutobi. The prospect was not a pleasant one.

True to Tsunade's prediction, Yugito was sufficiently recovered to leave the hospital the following day. She was able to make the walk back to the hotel largely unaided, needing Naruto's help only during an occasional stumble when she wasn't quite quick enough to catch herself. They were, however, forced to take the streets instead of the rooftops. They also had to move slowly, giving the citizens of Konoha plenty of time to crowd around Naruto as had become their habit during his stay in Konoha. The two Kumo-nin were just grateful that the crowd seemed to take care not to impede their progress. In fact, few of them ventured close to the couple, apparently not wanting to intrude too much.

All things considered, the trip back to the hotel wasn't too bad, although it was with a relieved sigh that Naruto sat down on a couch in the suite's common room. Akana looked up at Yugito from a book she had been reading. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore, tired, and disgruntled. I can't wait until I'm healthy again."

"Be patient, you got hurt pretty badly. Not even you or Naruto can recover quickly from something like that."

"I know, but that doesn't make it any less annoying."

"Consider it a lesson in patience then."

Tsunade's Coronation was later that day. Many shinobi of Konoha and dignitaries of Ho no Kuni were present in the open area in front of the Hokage's Tower. The new Hokage and Konoha's Council were present atop the tower according to tradition. Three guests were present as well. Jiraiya had been pressed into speaking for the event. He may not have been fond of public speaking, but he had a flair for drama and anyone who had ever read his novels knew he had a way with words. Naruto was there as well, honored with a spot for his part in bringing Tsunade back to Konoha. Of course, it was also partly due to his relation to the Yondaime. Sarutobi Konohamaru was there as well, making Naruto believe that relatives/descendants of past Hokages were also invited if they didn't already hold a seat on the council as was the case of Sarutobi Asuma.

Jiraiya strode to the edge of the roof, looking down over the gathered crowd before beginning his speech. "The Kage is one of the most important and revered figures in any of the major Hidden Villages, and Konoha is no exception. The Shodai Hokage was instrumental in the founding of our village, forming an alliance with Uchiha Madara and an aspiring noble to form Ho no Kuni and Konohagakure no Saito. He built the village practically overnight with the help of his Mokuton techniques and fought tirelessly to defend it against threats. He lifted Konoha from an experiment to a symbol of military might that other rising nations hurried to emulate. But he died during the closing battles of the Second Great Shinobi War that decided early loyalties and early borders of the era of the Elemental Nations.

He was succeeded by the Nidaime Hokage, his brother. The Nidaime held Konoha together through its grief and saw his village through the end of the war. He presided over the first period of peace our village had known. He instituted many practices that the Shodai had been unable to form during wartime; forming the Ninja Academy, ANBU Black Ops, and much more. But the peace formed at the end of the Second Great Shinobi War was a fragile one, and the Elemental Nations were soon at each other's throats once more in the Third Great Shinobi War. The Nidaime fell in battle as had his brother, almost single-handedly preventing a battle fleet from Kirigakure from reaching Konoha's shores. Even the lords of Mizu no Kuni were never able to challenge his mastery of water.

The mantle was then passed on to the Sandaime Hokage, scion of the Sarutobi Clan and disciple of both his predecessors. He orchestrated a brilliant campaign, steering Konoha through the conflict despite feuding Nations to all sides of its borders. But it is for his accomplishments outside of wartime that the Sandaime is most known. As a jounin instructor he trained the best team of shinobi Konoha has ever known. He presided over the peace talks at the end of the war. And despite his position as the leader of the most powerful village he ensured lasting peace instead of seizing temporary gain. His negotiations ushered in the longest era of peace this continent has ever known. Even then, he worked tirelessly to forge new polices and alliances that ensured the peace remained. It was with content that the Sandaime became the first Hokage to retire instead of being killed in battle.

His successor, the Yondaime Hokage, was my student. He was a genius unlike any I'd ever seen; and he had the potential to become the greatest Hokage, the greatest Shinobi, the greatest man the Elemental Nations had ever known. I believed he would do it too, but it was not to be. Two years into his reign he learned that the Kyuubi no Kitsune was approaching Konoha. Any slim hopes of it altering its path were dashed when Konoha's shinobi forces were forced to confront the beast, to delay it. Then the Yondaime appeared atop Gamabunta to perform the ultimate sacrifice. He sacrificed his own life to summon the Shinigami and seal the beast into his newborn son. Thus did another Hokage die in the defense of his village.

The Sandaime was forced to come out of retirement and take the office of Hokage once again. He faced an unenviable task, having to rebuild Konoha's scattered forces and negotiate through several precarious situations as other villages tried to take advantage of Konoha's weakened state. He was more than equal to the task though, in a few years Konoha was once more considered the strongest of all shinobi villages. But then he met the fate that he had avoided in his first term.

The Sandaime's traitorous ex-student Orochimaru deceived Sunagakure, assassinating the Kazekage and tricking them into attacking Konoha besides his own Oto forces. While the battle raged all around him the Sandaime was forced into single combat with Orochimaru. He gave his life to cripple his former student, forcing Orochimaru to flee and effectively ending all further hostility from the Oto-nin.

Throughout the history of our village the title of Hokage has been synonymous with that of hero. All four Hokages have been among the best Konoha had to offer, both on and off the field of battle. They assisted in the most dire of battles, ensuring that no harm would come to their village. They steered Konoha through the most delicate negotiations, avoiding violence whenever possible. They built this village, they carried it on their backs, and they made it what it is today. They are the greatest heroes this village has ever known.

Now Konoha finds itself in need of a new Hokage once more. Someone who can live up to the legacy left behind by these heroes. Konoha needs someone who can stand toe to toe against anyone on the field of battle. It needs someone who can negotiate in the most extreme circumstances, finding peace whenever possible. It needs someone who is willing to put the safety of Konoha and its villagers above all else, someone who embodies the Will of Fire.

That person has been found. She is the last remaining member of the Senju clan, related by blood to both the Shodai and Nidaime Hokage. She was taught by the Sandaime Hokage, and it was her teammate who trained the Yondaime. She is formidable on the battlefield and knows no equal as a medic. Most importantly; she has learned from her Grandfather, Grand Uncle, and Sensei. She knows what it means to protect others, to lay her life on the line for what's important to her. There is no one better suited for the job." Tsunade strode forward on cue, standing in full view of the crowd in the hat and robes of her office. "I present to you Senju Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage of Konoha no Saito!" Tsunade stood there, an indomitable pillar of strength while the crowd below roared its approval.

**Author's Note****: Well…the revelation that Naruto will be going on the Sasuke retrieval arc seems to have caused quite a stir, as well as the training trip to a lesser extent. To be more specific you seemed concerned that I'm too worried about following cannon and will ruin my story. My response to your concerns is simple, trust me. How many of you would have thought I'd be able to convincingly send Naruto along on the Tsunade Retrieval Arc?**

**I have my reasons for including the Sasuke Retrieval Arc in this story. Remember, I've had my twists in each of the cannon arcs I've used so far. The Sasuke Retrieval Arc is no different, nor is the training trip. Actually, I think you'll particularly enjoy what I'm going to do with the training trip. Sot sit back, trust me, and enjoy the ride.**

**Oh, and keep the reviews coming please.**

**Translations**

**To-Remu Konjou: Gonge: Translates to Totem Spirit: Incarnate. This is the third stage of To-Remu Yajuuki, where the bearer creates an avatar out of his chakra and allows his/her totem to manifest in the physical world. The size and power varies with the amount of chakra put into the technique; from something barely noticeable to an avatar the size of a boss summon. It is without a doubt a powerful technique, though a difficult one to master.**


	22. Chapter 21: The Greater Good

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Yugito sent Naruto out early the next morning. He had a bag that contained their new chuunin vests, one of each of their current shirts to use as a template, and precise written instructions from Yugito. She had given him the bag after he woke up and tasked him with finding someplace that could embroider their vests with the symbols they used for their current outfits. He had made a remark that she usually didn't trust him with anything concerning fashion to which she had replied that she wasn't sufficiently healed to wander all over Konoha in search of a shop that did embroideries, and then gave him a dire warning not to screw up. Naruto wasn't quite sure how he could screw up that task, but wisely decided not argue with her.

So now he was on the rooftops, avoiding the streets as was becoming a habit. He sighed as he scanned the store signs below him; he was really starting to miss Kumo. Well, maybe it wasn't quite as much missing Kumo as it was getting sick of Konoha. Sure he may have received a bit of hero-worship there as well, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was in Konoha. He'd never deemed it advantageous to move about Kumo via the rooftops unless he was in a hurry. Oh well, only a few more days until Yugito was back to full health. Then they could finally go back home.

He stopped suddenly, peering down at the streets below. There it was, the store a citizen of Konoha had recommended as the best clothing shop in the village. He leapt down to street level, landing in front of the door and wasting no time in entering. A middle-aged women looked up from behind the counter as he entered, noticing him immediately. "Welcome Araiki-san, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Naruto sighed, relieved that he had found a place where he'd be treated normally. "Yugito-chan and I were promoted to Chuunin during the exams and wanted to get our vests embroidered like my gi is." He swung the bag up, letting it thunk down on the countertop. "She included instructions for what she wants done. We'd need it done in four or five days too, after that we're heading back to Kumogakure."

"A lot of people here'll be sad to see you go," the women muttered absentmindedly under her breath as she dug through the bag. She pulled out Yugito's instructions, scanning them quickly before examining the clothing packed in the bag. "Hmm…it'll be a complicated bit of embroidery but I can have it done the day after tomorrow. After that you can stop by to pick it up any time during business hours."

"Wow, I thought it'd take longer than that."

"Araiki-san, you took Gaara down a block from this place. I hold no illusions about what would have happened if you hadn't fought him. Getting these done as fast as possible is the least I can do for you."

"Thanks, I'll be back in two days I guess. See you then."

Naruto walked outside, leaping onto the wall and running back up to the rooftops. He grabbed the lip of the roof as he came within reach, tucking his body as he flipped up onto the rooftop. Or at least he started to. He was in mid-flip when he saw Jiraiya's head poke over the side of the building. Naruto cursed, letting go of the roof with one hand and pulling himself to the side. He missed Jiraiya, barely, and landed in an ungainly heap on the rooftop. He groaned slightly as he pushed himself upright, fixing Jiraiya with a disgruntled stare. "Could your timing get any worse?"

"Worse? I thought I timed that pretty good, especially since I had to judge your approach based off of your chakra signature."

"Next time I'm just going to kick you in the face."

Jiraiya snorted, "If you can. Now follow me."

"Follow you where?"

"One of the training grounds, I want to show you something."

"Show me what?"

"If you follow me I'll show you."

"Fine, lead the way." Jiraiya turned and leapt away, headed towards the outskirts of the village. Naruto followed behind him, pacing the Sannin as they sped through the city. It didn't take long to reach the outskirts of the village and the two shinobi came to earth in a small clearing present in the heavily wooded training ground. "Now, what did you want to show me?" Jiraiya simply grinned, then disappeared with a swirl of leaves and smoke. Naruto stood there for a few moments in surprise before muttering to himself, "Damn, usually he at least has a reason for being a pain in the ass!"

He spun as he heard someone giggling in the brush behind him. "Well, he did promise to give me a chance to speak with you." Rin said as she stepped out of the tree line.

"Oh," Naruto said lamely, the reason for Jiraiya's actions suddenly becoming clear. "So, ummm..."

A sad smile tugged at her lips. "Clueless when it comes to talking to women, just like him." Naruto didn't really know how to respond to that, and there was a period of awkward silence between the two. She broke it, her voice meek as she averted her gaze. "I failed you."

Shock, puzzlement, and surprise vied for dominance in Naruto's tone as he responded, "What…when?"

"That night, ten years ago when she kidnapped you. I could have stopped her, should have stopped her. I could have prevented it, kept you in Konoha."

Naruto sighed, "You can't blame yourself for that. Akana was, and still is, one of the best jounin in Kumogakure. You were a retired chuunin. It was hardly an even match."

"I should've trained harder then." Traces of anger were leaking into her tone, her voice becoming louder and louder until she was practically screaming. "I could've beaten her. I could've kept you here in Konoha, could've kept you!"

"Hey! I know you might not like how things turned out. I know you wished I had stayed in Konoha, but that's not how things happened. That woman who's getting you so angry at is my mother, and Kumogakure is my home. If you can deal with that I'm more than willing to talk to you, learn about what kind of person you are. If not, then I don't have anything to say to you. So make your choice."

Rin recoiled in shock at Naruto's words. She had imagined this conversation a hundred times since Asuma had brought word of Naruto, but never like this. Her perceptions of this conversation had always been tinged by her regrets surrounding Naruto's kidnapping. She hadn't stopped to think that those regrets weren't necessarily shared by Naruto. Her sudden revelation did manage to do a pretty good job of calming her down. "I…I'm sorry. I never considered it from that viewpoint."

"It's not too surprising given the circumstances I suppose. Look; there's no reason we can't talk, no reason we can't have a decent relationship. You certainly seem to want that. But like I said, Kumogakure is my home and Akana is my mother. If we're going to get along you'll have to accept that."

"I guess I can live with that. It might take a while though."

"I can accept that." Naruto sat down, leaning against a tree at the edge of the clearing. "It occurs to me though. You know quite a bit about me, probably more of my early history than I do. But I know almost nothing about you."

She smiled slightly, "That sounds like a good place to begin. Well let's see, after I graduated from the academy I was placed on a gennin team under your father…" The two talked for several hours, on matters ranging from completely frivolous to deeply personal. By the time Naruto had to leave both were deeply content, and he promised to try to meet with her again before it was time for him to leave.

Naruto arrived back at the apartment to see Akana walking Yugito through a series of stretches. She seemed to be able to pull off each stretch, although it wasn't uncommon for the girl to wince in pain during them. He waited patiently for a few minutes until Akana was finished with her before speaking. "So, how are you feeling?"

She rubbed her shoulder, flashing him a rueful grin before complaining. "I've got my full range of motion back. But I'm pretty sore though, especially if I move too far in the wrong direction. It shouldn't be too much longer until I'm healthy again though. Then we can go back home."

"Yeah, can't wait to get back to Kumo. None of us, besides Kaa-san, have ever been away from there for this long since we've started living there have we?"

"No, come to think of it we haven't. Moving on though, I take it you found somewhere to drop off our vests."

"Yeah, some guy on the street directed me to what he said was the best clothing shop in the village. The lady working there said they'd be ready to be picked up the day after tomorrow, so plenty of time before we have to leave."

"Good. Now come on, we're leaving."

"What, where? I just got back."

"Well, first there's the date I told you that you were going to take me on. Then you're going to take me shopping so I can pick up a few pieces of clothing."

He blinked, "You just got a new vest. Why do you need more clothes?"

Yugito shook her head, "Boys can be so dense at times. The edge of the vest goes about here," she traced her finger down and across her chest as she spoke, moving it below most of one of her breasts. "So that means that unless I get something else to wear under it my breast will be hanging out for everyone to see. Needless to say, it's not a look I'd be thrilled with. So we're going clothes shopping."

Naruto just stood there stupidly for a moment before responding, "Oh."

Yugito rolled her eyes, grabbing him by the arm as she walked out the door. "Now, where are you taking me for our date?" She paused for a bit before adding an afterthought, "And no Ichiraku's."

"But-"

"No!"

The couple ended up settling on a barbeque restaurant. Naruto managed to secure a secluded, corner booth with little difficulty. There were some advantages to his status within Konoha. The two placed their orders and waited in silence until the meat arrived, Yugito waiting until the meat was on the grill before breaking the silence. "So, after I went down in our fight with Gaara, that fight must've gotten…intense."

"Yeah. That method we were using before, trying to avoid him and wear him down; it wasn't an option anymore. I had to match him, throw everything I had at him and go head to head. It was risky…but I had no choice. You were alive, but I wasn't sure how long you'd be able to last. The rest of that fight, I was worried the whole time. I knew that if I screwed up, if I mad just one mistake, I wouldn't be the only one who died. The thought of failing when you needed me, that scared me more than anything."

The pair lapsed into silence for a while longer, the sizzling of the meat on the grill the only sound emanating from their booth. Then Yugito spoke again, "While I was unconscious, you tried it didn't you? That mind walking thing we've been theorizing about."

"Yeah, I found your totem but-"

"I know. She told me, kind of. It was more of a sense of emotions, love and reassurance, during those brief instances where I had any idea what was going on around me. It was...I'm not sure how to describe it. I was so confused during most of the time when I was recovering, confused and lost. The message you sent, it really helped me pull through. Thank you."

"Hey, I was going to do anything I could to get you to pull through, anything."

"I know," she scooped the first piece of meat off the grill with a pair of chopsticks, "that's one of the reasons why I decided that we were going to start dating all those months ago."

"Hey! That's a two-person decision you know."

"I remember telling you that you were going to take me out on a date. And you didn't exactly put up much of an argument." Naruto grumbled something under his breath as he popped a piece of beef into his mouth. The rest of the meal was passed in companionable chatter. Naruto paid for the meal when they were done. Then Yugito dragged him off to the nearest clothing store, where it was revealed that she had conveniently forgotten her wallet at home back at the hotel. Naruto simply sighed in exasperation before paying for her purchases.

They took the rooftops back to the hotel. The two were chatting lightly as they made their way down the hallway to their suite. A playful glint lit Yugito's eyes as they neared the door. She grabbed Naruto by the shoulder, spinning him around and backing him up until he bumped against the door. She leaned into him, grinning as her head bent forward for the kiss.

Then the door opened, spilling the young couple gracelessly into the suite. They groaned slightly as they took stock of their surroundings, noting they were sprawled at Akana's feet. Both blushed deeply as Akana struggled to keep the mirth from her face. The situation was held for several moments until Yugito spoke, her voice low with tightly controlled frustration and a hint of anger. "Why must you always insist on interrupting us during these moments?"

The amusement in Akana's voice was plain to hear as she responded. "I thought the answer to that would be obvious, with you sitting on my son in such a risqué position and all."

Yugito growled and took a half-hearted swipe at Akana, who of course flickered out of sight and reappeared outside of Yugito's reach. "I wasn't sitting on him until you decided to dump us into the room!"

"Oh sure, always with the excuses."

Meitoku looked up from his seat where he was occupying himself by sharpening a series of kunai. "If you and Naruto were more aware of your surroundings instead of becoming preoccupied with each other you would be able to sense Akana-sensei before she would be able to disturb you."

Yugito fixed him with a level stare, "But then it would hardly be romantic now would it?"

"I was merely pointing out how you could avoid future repetitions of this situation." Yugito gave a frustrated groan as Akana finally erupted into peals of laughter.

Three days later Yugito finally felt like she was recovered from her injuries and Team Four was packing their gear in preparation to return to Kumogakure. Naruto and Yugito were now dressed in their Chuunin vests. Naruto had kept the same pair of pants he'd worn previously, and his torso was clad only in the vest. He had always favored relatively little clothing on the torso as it displayed more of the unique markings of Megurushi no To-Remu. Yugito's…feminine assets…meant that wearing just the vest wasn't an option. So she had found a navy blue, strapless, tube-top that ended just below her shoulders to wear under it. They were in the process of double-checking the suite to make sure they hadn't forgotten to pack anything when there was a knock at the door. Akana opened the door to reveal a member of Konoha's ANBU standing there. "Yoruka Akana, the Hokage apologizes for the inconvenience but requests to see you and your team in her office as soon as possible."

"Did she say why?"

"No, but she stressed that time was of the essence."

Akana glanced back into the room, "Naruto, do you have any idea what she wants?"

"No, but I don't think she'd send for us if it wasn't important."

"Very well, leave your packs here. Let's go see what Tsunade wants." Her students shrugged their packs off of their shoulders, falling behind the ANBU as he sped towards the Hokage's Tower.

Naruto was the first threw the door and into Tsunade's office. "Hey, Baa-chan, what're you calling us here for?"

Under normal circumstances that nickname would have made Tsunade quite angry, to say the least. When she had heard him refer to her like that for the first time, on the day of her coronation, she'd been sorely tempted to send him flying with another one of her dreaded finger flicks. His comment hadn't been loud enough to drift down towards the rest of the crowd though, and sending the Yondaime's son flying off the roof of the tower would have hardly been dignified. So yes, normally Tsunade would have been ticked off about now. But it was the fact that she remained calm and businesslike that clued Naruto in to the gravity of the situation.

She rested her chin on her interwoven fingers, staring at the Kumo-nin standing before her. "Uchiha Sasuke," she said, her voice solemn, "appears to have defected from Konohagakure no Saito."

Akana frowned, "I understand that this development must be, troubling, for your village. But I fail to see how this concerns me and my team."

Tsunade took a deep breath before continuing, "He is defecting to Otogakure and Orochimaru," she paused a moment, noticing how the three young Kumo-nin tensed at the name. "Sasuke does not yet know this but Orochimaru plans to seize control of his body, acquiring the Sharingan in the process. I know that Orochimaru may not represent quite the threat to Kumo that he does to Konoha, but I know that your team has had trouble with him first hand. If he is able to acquire the Sharingan, the threat he presents to the entirety of the Elemental Nations will only be intensified."

Akana paused for a moment, "Why are you telling us this?"

Tsunade sighed, "Normally, I'd send my best shinobi on this mission. There skills probably wouldn't be needed, but I wish to leave as little room for error as possible. Unfortunately, my higher-ranking shinobi are not currently available. There are only two shinobi of Chuunin rank or above available, both newly promoted after the exams. They've been able to locate two gennin to assist them, thankfully the members of Konoha's rookie squads are all exceptionally talented for gennin."

Akana's tone was carefully measured as she responded, "That seems to be a rather, small force to send on a mission of this importance."

"I know, that's why I'd like your students to join the mission."

Naruto frowned, "Why just us, why don't you want a jounin on this mission?"

It was Akana who answered, "In case complications arise. I was the one who kidnapped you ten years ago, and given the way the village currently views you I doubt they've forgotten that. If something were to go wrong and I was there when the Sharingan was lost, I don't even want to know how this village would react."

Disbelief was written clearly across Naruto's face, "That's crazy!" He spun to face Tsunade, "Would you really not send Akana-sensei on the mission because of that."

"Your Mother's right Naruto, don't underestimate the importance of politics and public opinion. Just because they don't always make sense doesn't mean they can be ignored. So, what do you say Akana?"

The woman in question frowned, "I'm not sure I feel comfortable with sending them on this mission. Given the circumstances it is within my rights to do so, but I'm not sure I'm willing to expose them to the kind of danger this mission could put them in for the sake of returning the Uchiha to Konoha."

Tsunade leaned back in her chair, pausing for a bit before replying. "From what I have been able to gather about Orochimaru his right-hand man is Yakushi Kabuto, the shinobi Naruto defeated as part of his effort to bring me back to Konoha. Furthermore, since Orochimaru's current body is failing him it is likely that Kabuto is at Orochimaru's side to ensure his continued survival. In other words, Naruto's already defeated the worst Orochimaru can throw at him. And it's unlikely that he'd face anyone that talented during this mission. Besides, bringing back Sasuke isn't the priority; ensuring that Orochimaru doesn't get the Sharingan is. I won't deny that I'd prefer to have Sasuke brought back to the village, but I'd rather see him blind or dead than see the Sharingan in Orochimaru's hands."

Akana stood silently for a few minutes, considering the situation before responding. "Very well, I will allow my team to join this mission. However," she turned to face her team, "I don't want you needlessly risking your lives on this mission. I know there's risk in every fight. But if you're clearly outmatched I expect you to retreat and get out of there. Am I understood?" Her students nodded, "Very well, report to Konoha's front gate then. It looks like our trip back home will be delayed a bit. Dismissed!" The three young Kumo-nin flickered from sight, disappearing out Tsunade's window and headed for Konoha's front gate.

Tsunade sighed in relief, slumping back into her chair. "Thank you, I'm not sure the shinobi I was able to spare would have been able to pull this off without assistance."

Akana sat there for the longest time, staring out the window. "I just hope I made the right decision here."

It only took the three Kumo-nin a few minutes to reach the front gate. Three of the shinobi Tsuande had mentioned were in view as the Kumo-nin approached from inside the village. Shikamaru was one of them, and was obviously one of the two chuunin judging from the vest he was wearing. They could recognize the other two visible shinobi as well. Chouji was there, along with Kiba and his partner Akamaru. The fourth shinobi was a mystery until they walked through the gate. Naruto came to a sudden halt, his eyes narrowing as he saw Neji standing calmly beneath a tree.

What followed was perhaps the most uncomfortable silence any of the shinobi present had ever experienced. It was ended when Neji did the last thing Naruto expected. Slowly, deliberately, Neji kneeled down and bowed to the assembled Kumo-nin. "Forgive me, I have…allowed myself to be blinded by my past. My actions over the course of the past month have been…disgraceful. I hope that in the future my actions can be put behind us."

Naruto and Meitoku exchanged quick glances, and by unspoken agreement Naruto was the one who spoke. "You've been an idiot, a prideful and dangerous one at that. If you're truly sorry I can forgive your actions towards me easily enough. But you tried to kill my teammate, and that I will never forget. I may, however, be able to forgive you for it. But earning that forgiveness will require action, not just words." He walked over, offering a hand to the Hyuga. "In the meantime though, we have a mission to accomplish."

Neji accepted the proffered hand, allowing Naruto to pull him to his feet. "I understand."

"Good." He turned to face the rest of the shinobi. "Now, how much do we know about the situation?"

It was Shikamaru who responded, "Sasuke defected from Konoha late last night. Konoha learned of it this morning when two chuunin found Sakura unconscious on a bench. Apparently she had confronted Sasuke when he left in order to try to prevent him from leaving. He knocked her unconscious, it seems that he left Konoha immediately afterwards. In other words, Sasuke has a head start of several hours. We'll have to hope he was forced to stop and rest or we may not be able to catch him."

"Huh, guess we should get going then."

"Agreed," the shinobi blurred from sight as they hurtled into the lush forests surrounding Konoha."

Half an hour later Naruto, who was taking point with Ishiki no To-Remu activated, came to a sudden stop. His six teammates came to a halt behind him. Yugito approached him carefully. "What is it?"

Naruto pointed towards the ground. "Tripwires, they're all over the place. The area's covered in scents too. There are four of them, and they have a bit of the that stink that comes with Sasuke's cursed seal."

Shikamaru arched an eyebrow. "Do you think Orochimaru sent reinforcements to help Sasuke get to Otogakure?"

"It would seem so. There's something else too, blood. They must have gotten into a fight with somebody."

Shikamaru nodded, his mind racing. "They wouldn't have gone through the trouble of setting up all these traps unless they were resting, it would be too troublesome otherwise. They must have exhausted themselves in the fight so they had to stop. Neji."

"I'm on it, Byakugan!" The veins around his eyes bulged as Neji activated his kekkai genkai, using it to see what lay ahead. "There are four shinobi in a clearing one hundred thirty-seven meters in front of us. I can't see Sasuke, but there's a large barrel that I can't see into because of the seals placed on it. I think Sasuke's in there, though I can't be certain."

"Okay," the assembled shinobi turned to look at Shikamaru, "Here's the plan."

Orochimaru had given his bodyguards, the Sound Four, the task of retrieving Sasuke. They had met up with the Uchiha a short ways outside of the village gates and sealed him in a barrel after forcibly awakening the level two form of his Cursed Seal. Shortly after that they had run into a pair of Jounin from Konoha and been forced to fight their way free. The combat had been intense and they were forced to make camp and rest afterwards, which was where they still were. All four of them were sleeping, at least until the one with six arms began to feel something tug at his fingers. He was alert almost instantly, though he took care not to show it to the onlookers that he now knew were close.

Instead Kidomaru curled three of his fingers, pulling on the lines that he had connected to his three teammates. Tayuya, the foul-mouthed redhead, was the first to awaken. Thankfully she was aware of the need for silence and he didn't have to put up with her curses about being woken up. Jirobu was second, the large earth-user letting out a deep breath as his eyes slowly opened. Sakon woke up last, even if he didn't show it. But he always had been an odd one.

Then Kidomaru burst into action. He spun and threw a kunai trailing explosive notes into the bushes where his silken threads told him some of the unseen observers were hiding. At the same time he pulled with two of his other arms, tightening his lines around a trio of shinobi and pulling them into the clearing. He noted that the three he had ensnared were a Hyuga, an Akimichi, and an Inuzuka before the rest of his quarry was flushed from hiding. His eyes widened slightly in surprise as three Kumo-nin leapt out of the bushes. One of them, well laden with weapons, deflected the kunai in mid-air with a swing of a kodachi. But he was of secondary interest, the other two shinobi were the Araikis that Orochimaru-sama was so interested in.

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he landed in the clearing. He had been certain that the four Oto-nin had been sleeping as he approached, which meant he should have been able to sneak up on them easily. So what had gone wrong? His question was answered when the sunlight briefly glinted off of a long thread/wire leading from the four-armed shinobi to Neji. "I see, you used three layers of wires when laying your trap. You made one easy to see and another more hidden, typical of a dual-layered trap. You must've figured that no one would suspect a third layer and laid even more carefully hidden wires down in order to give yourself an early warning system."

Kidomaru smirked, "You figured it out, but that didn't stop you from falling right into our trap."

A sudden shiver ran down the spines of the Sound Four as Naruto grinned back, "Oh, I wouldn't say that." It was all the warning they had before their bodies seized up, rendering them suddenly immobile.

Kiba, Chouji, and Neji pulled themselves free of the lines entangling them as Shikamaru's voice drifted down from above, "Kagemane no Jutsu success." The Sound Four had a moment of surprised silence before the lazy genius continued speaking, "You may have suspected one group from a force this large to act as a diversion, but two diversionary forces are rare. My plan took into the account the possibility that you'd notice both groups. You're the ones that fell into our trap. Okay guys, finish them off."

Naruto grinned as he and Yugito activated their Megurushi no To-Remu, flexing their claws experimentally. "With pleasure." Both tensed, preparing to spring. In the next instant they were both dodging to the side, avoiding the shuriken that thudded into the ground where they had been standing. Shikamaru had to dodge as well. He had no choice but to leap off the branch he was standing on, and as soon as he lost contact with the solid surface his jutsu ended.

Jirobu was the first to react, slamming his hands into the ground after a short series of seals. The ground in front of the Sound Four suddenly rose and pressed together, like the cover of a book closing. It was Chouji's quick thinking that prevented exactly that from happening. The young Akimichi expanded his arms and punched straight out with each fist, shattering the walls of earth. Jirobu's jutsu did, however, fulfill one of its intended purposes. The shinobi from Kumo and Konoha landed in a heap in roughly the same area. And none of them were able to regain their feet quickly enough to avoid the dome of earth that suddenly swallowed them.

Jirobu walked towards his dome, looking back over his shoulder to talk to his teammates as he went. "You guys go on ahead; I'll catch up after I finish draining these guys."

"Just hurry the fuck up shitface, carrying the fucking barrel's supposed to be your job."

"Ladies shouldn't use such language Tayuya."

"Shut the fuck up. I didn't ask for your opinion."

Kidomaru rolled his eyes, hefting the barrel. "Both of you should shut up so we can get moving. You know what Orochimaru-sama will be like if we don't get him back in time." The mere mention of their volatile master was enough to get the two to stop arguing, and the other three members of the Sound Four quickly took to the trees.

The interior of the dome was pitch black, but that didn't last too long before Meitoku lit off a flare and embedded it in the dirt in the center of the dome. "This could be a problematic jutsu; I can feel it draining my chakra reserves. We have to get out before too long."

Naruto watched a few swirls of chakra form on his palm before giving up in disgust. "It's no good, my bloodline seems to prevent my chakra from actually being drained but the pull's enough to do a number on my chakra control. I'm not sure I have any techniques I'd be able to use that let me blast through this wall."

"Then stand aside," Kiba went down on all fours as he spoke, Akamaru hopping up onto his back. "Gaatsuga!" Both partners turned into miniature twisters of destruction as they flew towards the wall, only to reflect off and impact at a different spot. The pattern held, the duo leaving craters in the wall wherever they hit but not managing to break through. They landed hard in the middle of the dome as their technique ended, obliterating the flare and plunging the dome back into darkness.

Meitoku made a small sound of impatience as he lit another flare, revealing the rapidly disappearing craters on the walls of the dome. "It seems to be able to repair itself, if we're to break through it we'll have to do it all in one attack."

Suddenly Jirobu's voice boomed through the earthen walls of their prison. "Be quiet in there like good little prisoners. Maybe if you're leader hadn't come up with such a laughable plan you wouldn't be in this mess."

Back inside the dome Chouji seemed to take more offense to Jirobu's words than Shikamaru did. In fact, the lazy genius didn't even seem to hear Jirobu. Instead he was focused on the disappearing craters in the earthen dome. "Kiba, do that again."

"Why? It doesn't work."

"Just do it." Kiba shrugged, then launched into another Gaatsuga with Akamaru. Shikamaru waited for the dust to settle then spoke in a loud voice meant to carry through the thick walls. "I have a deal for you." After a moment of dismissive silence he decided to speak again. "I've spent quite a lot of time exploring the forests around here. I don't care about the rest of this team, but if you let me out I could lead you and your team back towards Oto by the fastest route possible." That caused Naruto to raise an eyebrow as Shikamaru was obviously lying through his teeth. There was no way someone that lazy would explore if he didn't have to.

When Jirobu spoke again his voice was thick with scorn. "A person's true nature always surfaces when their lives our on the line. A fool, a coward, like you doesn't deserve a position of leadership or his life. You'll die along with the rest of them."

Shikamaru smiled, "Perfect, he's remaining stationary and his position is opposite the section of the wall that regenerates the slowest. That part of the wall must receive the least chakra due to distance. Chouji, there's your target." The Akimichi nodded once before increasing his size, then hurtling against the wall with his Nikutanku no Jutsu.

For a while he ground against the wall in a seemingly futile effort. Then, "Cracks," Naruto muttered, "he's breaking through it." No sooner had the words left his mouth then the wall finally gave way with a roar of protest. The shinobi inside were quick to scramble out before the rest of the dome collapsed, its integrity destroyed along with the section that Chouji had pulverized.

Jirobu frowned and prepared to feet. "Hmm…so it seems the fatty was good for something after all"

Naruto shot him a wry glance, missing the sudden flames burning in Chouji's eyes. "You're one to talk.

Jirobu glared at him, taking a threatening step forward. "Why you little…"

Naruto grinned as Megurushi no To-Remu appeared on his skin. "You think you intimidate me, how naïve."

He moved to take a step forward but was stopped as a bandaged arm was thrust out in front of him. "No," Naruto turned to see the resolved expression on Chouji's face, "he's mine."

Naruto frowned, "Chouji, we've got the advantage of numbers here. We might as well use it."

"No," Shikamaru drawled, "Chouji's right. We can't afford to all stop and fight every time one of those Oto-nin stays back to fight us, it'll give them too much time to escape. It's troublesome, but we're going to have to split up as they do." He turned to his friend, "Are you sure you can handle him."

"Yeah, I brought my clan's pills with me. Speaking of which," he tossed Shikamaru a bottle, "Soldier pills, they'll help replenish your chakra reserves after your time in that guy's jutsu."

Shikamaru snatched the bottle out of the air, "Okay, just don't take that red pill." The other six shinobi of the retrieval/elimination force leapt for the trees. Jirobu tried to intercept them, but was knocked out of the air by Chouji's shoulder charge.

The portly Konoha-nin stared down his foe from Otogakure. Your opponent is me. And for insulting my friend, I will make you pay."

**Author's Note****: And so the controversial Sasuke Retrieval Arc begins. To be honest I'm a bit nervous about this chapter; but I do believe the threat of Orochimaru gaining the Sharingan would be enough to convince Akana, and just about anyone in the Elemental Nations for that matter, to act. The man's as twisted as he is brilliant and while he's alive I doubt there's anyone who's not concerned about him. Well, I hope that you've enjoyed the chapter; and hope that you understand my reasoning and though processes here even more so.**

**On a slightly different note I'd also like to point out that the 29 reviews received since my last update are the most garnered by any of my chapters to date. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed and urge them to keep it up. With luck this chapter will be able to vault this story past the 400 review mark.**

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu: Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Ishiki no To-Remu: Translates to Senses of the Totem. User's eyes change to resemble that of their totem. Chakra will also outline the user's ears. This stage of To-Remu Yajuuki greatly enhances all five senses of its user.**

**Kagemane no Jutsu: Translates to Shadow Possession Jutsu**

**Nikutanku no Jutsu: Translates to Meat Tank Jutsu**


	23. Chapter 22: Believe

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Naruto dropped down next to Shikamaru as he leapt through the trees, noting the troubled look on his face. "Something's bothering you."

"It's Chouji…"

"You're wondering if you made a mistake in leaving him behind, wondering if you should have left back-up or taken Jirobu as an entire group." He gave a grim smile at the look of surprise on Shikamaru's face. "People are always uncertain of themselves when they make decisions that put someone in harm's way. The thought that you may have sent someone to their death, it eats at people. In the end; all you can do is to put your faith into them, to believe in them. Do you believe in Chouji?"

Shikamaru was silent for a long moment. He was thinking about Chouji and the past he'd had, the scorn he'd taken from the other children because of his weight. And most importantly, how he'd refused to let it dissuade him from his path. "Yes." He paused a bit before continuing, "More than anyone, Chouji is strong."

Naruto smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "Then there's nothing to be worried about."

Back in a clearing in the rich forestland surrounding Konoha Jirobu and Chouji were facing off. It was Jirobu who acted first, breaking into a lumbering charge that could have uprooted trees and shattered boulders. Chouji dug in, setting himself to take the charge. Only to be sent flying as Jirobu smashed into him. He rolled to his feet and the two shinobi surged against each other once more.

This time they locked hands. They strained against each other, pulling and tugging. Each trying to rob the other of their balance, to gain control. Jirobu won. A quick sideways tug forced Chouji to stumble, robbed him of his balance. Jirobu swung Chouji sideways with a deep grunt of effort, releasing the Konoha-nin and letting him fly into a tree.

Chouji hit hard, hearing a rib crack before sliding down to the ground. He reached into his pouch, sliding the cap off of a canister and withdrawing something. So caught up was Jirobu in reading Chouji's balance and footwork that he didn't even notice the pill before the young gennin popped it into his mouth. A new strength flooded Chouji as he surged to meet Jirobu in mid-charge. This time it was Jirobu who was blasted backwards, stunned by the sheer power behind Chouji's charge.

He managed to set himself just in time to see Chouji's fist descending in a hammer-fist strike. Jirobu raised his arm, catching the blow on crossed wrists as the ground crumpled beneath him. It took him both hands to stop the blow, and that left him defenseless as Chouji's other fist slammed into his gut. Jirobu was sent flying back again. But this time he activated his cursed seal.

Jirobu rolled to his feet in an instant, the markings of his Level 1 Cursed Seal covering his body. This time he caught Chouji's fist in his hand, stopping his charge cold. Chouji's eyes barely had time to widen in surprise before Jirobu's fist impacted right between them. Chouji stumbled backwards, dazed by the hit. Before he could recover he was knocked to the ground. He had only started to push himself to his feet when Jirobu's fist descended again. His breath left him in a tremendous whoosh as he was smashed flat to the ground once more. He reached back towards the canister as the fist descended again, breaking another two ribs. Jirobu caught the movement and kicked Chouji in the side. The blow sent the canister flying. One pill remained inside. But the other, was in Chouji's hand.

He brought his hand to his mouth before Jirobu could stop him, biting down on the pill. Chouji twisted suddenly from his position on the ground, raising his hand and smashing Jirobu in the chest. He stumbled back, giving Chouji more than enough time to regain his feet. Jirobu ran through a short series of seals and slammed his hands into the ground, pulling forth a boulder twice his size with a grunt. He spun once, giving a grunt of effort as he flung the rock at Chouji. It obscured his view briefly, then the rock shattered.

Jirobu hand a fraction of a second to see Chouji's fist, now bigger than the teen's entire body was normally, before the punch landed. Jirobu was knocked from his feet, carried backwards by the tremendous blow. The fist slammed into a tree, sandwiching Jirobu between wood and fist until the wood shattered. Jirobu flew backwards as Chouji leapt impossibly high.

Chouji's arm continued to expand, along with the rest of his body. Before long he dwarfed the enormous trees of the forest. He was well over a hundred feet tall, weighing thousands of pounds. And he landed squarely on Jirobu. The very earth trembled beneath the force of the impact, and Chouji allowed a smile of satisfaction to creep across his face. Surely, that had taken his opponent down. Then he felt it. It was barely noticeable due to his size, but all the same it was there. A sudden pressure against his torso, someone was standing up.

Then he felt a crushing blow to his gut, one that flung him into the air. Chouji shrank, diminishing back to his normal size before crashing back down to earth. He landed hard, feeling the breath being driven out of his lungs. He raised his head and caught sight of his opponent once more. His skin coloration had changed, becoming a dull red and there were several large bumps on his skin. "Unbelievable, to think I'd have to use Level Two of the Curse Seal on trash like you."

Chouji gritted his teeth in pain, and noticed the capsule. It was lying close to him. And it held the last pill, the greatest secret of his clan. It would mean his death. But at this point, what choice did he have? He lunged, reaching towards the canister.

Only to have Jirobu's foot smash down onto his back. "You Konoha trash," he stomped down again, hearing several more ribs crack under the impact. "You're worthless, every one of you. From you, to that pathetic teammate of yours who left you behind. Why Orochimaru would pick someone from that pitiful village to be his next vessel...I don't know what he was thinking." He raised his foot and kicked out again, catching Chouji in the side.

The power of the kick lifted him off the ground. Chouji was sent skidding into the stump of a shattered tree, but he was able to grab the canister as he flew by. Jirobu stopped, using one of his doton jutsus to rip a gigantic boulder free of the ground. He lifted it above his head with a grunt of effort and stomped his way over to Chouji, preparing to crush him beneath its massive weight. But before he had the chance Chouji crushed the last pill between his teeth. Once more, and for what he knew would be the last time, Chouji felt a huge burst of chakra surge through him.

Chouji didn't even feel the pain of his broken ribs as he lifted his hands and caught the descending boulder. He gave a slight growl as he squeezed his hands together, turning the boulder into gravel with ease. The young Akimichi felt a sudden peace wash over him as he rose to his feet. He knew that this would be his final battle, he had ensured that when he ate the red pill. But he also knew that he'd be able to take his opponent down with him.

His palm thrust sent Jirobu flying back to the ground and Chouji strode calmly forward. "You've assisted a traitor, insulted me, and insulted my village. I can forgive you for that." Jirobu tried to push himself to his feet but Chouji's casual backhand smashed him back into the ground. He extended one arm behind him, feeling it grow to many times its normal size. His chakra levels were skyrocketing, excess chakra leaking from his body and taking the form of butterfly wings. "But you also insulted my friend. And that, is unforgivable. There's enough chakra in my hand right now to level a mountain, more than enough to finish you off. It's over."

Chouji brought his fist down, shuddering slightly as he felt it shatter both the ground and his foe. Chouji felt his breath beginning to labor as his arm shrink back to normal size. He let his arm hang at his side, taking care not to look at the bloody smear on his hand or in the crater. He stumbled away, feeling his balance beginning to go. The side effects of the pill were beginning to take effect, the chemicals beginning to eat away at his body. He knew he didn't have much time, but he forced himself on nonetheless. His death was imminent, but it didn't have to be here. Not amongst all the destruction he had wrought, not amongst the remnants of his first kill. He stubbornly kept his feet, stumbling past the splintered logs from the trees he had destroyed. Finally, he made it past the tree line. Pressing his back against the back of a tree as he sat down, Chouji finally allowed himself to rest.

The remaining three members of the Sound Four were continuing to leap through the trees when Tayuya spotted the figure of Jirobu approaching from behind them. "It's about fucking time you caught up. Get your fat ass over here and grab that barrel."

"Sorry, it took a long time to drain all their chakra." Kidomaru came to a stop as he landed on a tree branch. He set down the barrel and spat a stream of webbing at his supposed teammate, who dodged it with almost casual agility that belied his bulk.

"I'm not about to hand Sasuke-sama over to an impostor, Jirobu always chastises Tayuya for using that language."

Naruto flipped onto a higher branch, eyeing the remaining members of the Sound Four warily. "That's the problem with the henge I suppose, you don't always have the information you need to impersonate someone."

"Are you trying to bore us with shit we already know you little fucker?"

"Nope, I just need to hold your attention for a little bit." His expression hardened as his gaze snapped downwards, "Now!"

Predictably, the gazes of the Sound Four swiveled downwards to see what Naruto had signaled. The move came with perfect timing as Yugito and Meitoku dropped down from above, being lead by a pair of Gaatsugas. Jirobu was the first to realize the deception, and he looked up to see the shinobi bearing down on them. He acted quickly, using two hands to toss the barrel over to his teammates while he used to other two to weave the webbing he spat out. Leaping up; he threw out the webbing, anchoring it to nearby trees. Kiba snorted in disbelief, figuring there was no way such a flimsy barrier could stop his Gaatsuga.

He was wrong. The web bowed downwards as he hit it, but didn't break. Even worse, his spinning motion caused the silk to wrap tightly around him. He was stuck fast before the momentum of his fall wore off. Yugito and Meitoku had an instant to react, and made the most of it. Megurushi no To-Remu flared to life as Yugito lead the way down with her claws. Meitoku twisted, drawing one of his kodachi and transferring all of his momentum into a downward swing. Neither blow had the slightest effect, and the two Kumo-nin joined Kiba and Akamaru in their entanglement. Kidomaru had an instant's time to react, and he used it to yell at his teammates. "Get out of here, I'll take them."

Naruto growled as he launched himself forward. He took short hops, staying close to tree-trunks and branches. The shorter jumps allowed him to change his direction more quickly in case Kidomaru sent more webbing at him. It also slowed him down, allowing Kidomaru more time to react to his charge. Of course, Naruto was still serving as a distraction. No sooner had Kidomaru's attention fixated on Naruto than Neji and Shikamaru hurtled up from below.

Naruto got there first, and ducked under the initial two strikes. Not wanting to engage in extended taijutsu combat against someone with six arms Naruto simply bulled forward and tackled the Oto-nin. His tackle carried Kidomaru backwards, slamming him into a tree. Then Kidomaru seemed to sag and become paler, until the Araike realized that he had tackled a clone of spider silk. Naruto growled in frustration, finding himself stuck fast by the sticky mass.

Shikamaru was blindsided before he had a chance to react, Kidomaru slamming him into a tree and sticking him to it with even more of the silk. He was moving away again as soon as his feet hit the ground, skipping aside as Neji's palm thrust tore a chunk out of the tree where he had been perched. A short chase through the treetops followed, Kidomaru keeping half a step ahead of Neji and his strikes. Then he gave a sharp tug with one of his hands as he took to the air, yanking Neji from his feet and suspending him in mid-air.

Kidomaru seized his chance, leaping back and catching Neji with a sharp blow to his side. The impact spun the Hyuga around, and he was trapped in a cocoon of silk long before his momentum wore off. Kidomaru was panting slightly as he landed, grinning in exultation. He opened his mouth, forming a kunai out of golden spider silk and gripped it firmly in his hand. He leapt over to Shikamaru. "You two," he motioned towards Naruto and Yugito, "Orochimaru wants alive. The rest of you though, I can kill. And since you're supposedly able to come up with great plans I think you'll go first."

A detached part of Shikamaru's mind noted how unlikely the situation was. He'd always been the laziest of his class, the one people thought would be least likely to risk his life. He was also quite possibly the smartest, and never went into battle without a well-thought out plan. The odds that he'd have been the first shinobi from his class to die were, well, long to say the least. Oh well, he supposed that planning ahead could only get him so far. As he saw the edge of Kidomaru's kunai descending towards him he wondered if his next life would be as troublesome as the current one.

Then he was falling as the kunai thunked solidly into the tree trunk. Well, not quite falling. Neji had grabbed him by the collar of his vest as he leapt downwards, and soon swung Shikamaru back towards the tree so the shadow-user could use his chakra to fasten him to the vertical surface. Shikamaru stared at Neji in surprise. "How did you manage to escape that cocoon?"

"There's a constant stream of chakra running through those strands of silk. I was able to disrupt it using a slight Jyuken variant, then it was easy to tear through the silk. Keep him occupied for a minute, I need to free the others."

"I can't cut through the thread, how am I supposed to hold him off?"

Neji rolled his eyes, although the movement was almost impossible to discern. Then he leapt upwards. Naruto was the closest trapped shinobi to Neji. Kidomaru tried to intercept the Hyuga, but a shifting shadow on a tree trunk convinced him to alter his path. Neji flew past Naruto, his hands moving in a blur as they shredded the webbing.

Naruto pushed himself free, finding his balance quickly. "Keep going, I've got our little spider wannabe." Neji nodded once before taking to the air again, heading in a straight line towards the last three entangled shinobi. Kidomaru launched two strands of webbing at Neji, hoping to stop him before he could reach the remaining shinobi. But Naruto was true to his word. He appeared in mid-air between Neji and Kidomaru, finishing a short series of hand seals and hoping that Shikamaru had the good sense to hang on. "Fuuton: Daitoppa!" The spider silk was blown away like, well, like drifting silk in a gale. Kidomaru got caught full blast too, and was sent tumbling downwards. By the time he was able to arrest his descent he was well below the Konoha and Kumo-nin.

A few well-placed palm thrusts from Neji destroyed the integrity of the web entangling Kiba, Akamaru, Meitoku, and Yugito. As soon as he finished freeing his teammates Neji dropped down and landed next to Shikamaru. "I'll stay and fight him, I'm the only one that can sever his webbing."

The rest of the team landed a few seconds later. Meitoku kept a careful eye on Kidomaru as he spoke. "It would be illogical to only leave one shinobi behind for this fight, we outnumber our remaining foes two to one."

Neji frowned, "I'm the only one who can sever the webbing. He can't restrict my movements, if there's someone else fighting with me we run the risk of losing that advantage."

"A second combatant probably wouldn't be able to cut the silk either, I tried activating Mantoru no To-Remu and recomposing it into wind chakra. I can make my wind chakra sharper than any blade but I could barely scratch it."

"I couldn't burn it with Mantoru no To-Remu and my fire affinity either."

Meitoku adjusted his sword-belts, "So whoever stays behind must make sure they don't get caught in the webbing. While I am proficient in close-combat I also have a wide variety of mid to long range techniques. Shikamaru's Kage Mane no Jutsu is also mid-range, but my techniques leave me more mobile. Additionally, his tactical ability would likely be of more use later on since there are two more opponents whose abilities as of yet are completely unknown. I will stay behind with Neji to fight this one."

There was a hint of unease in Naruto's gaze as he remembered the last time Meitoku and Neji had shared a battlefield for any appreciable length of time. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, it is the most logical solution. Besides, Neji appears to have had a change in heart."

Naruto chuckled, "I never thought I'd hear you make an argument based off of emotions. But if you're sure, I'm not about to stop you. Good luck." The other four shinobi disappeared from sight as they resumed their pursuit.

Neji peered down through the branches at Kidomaru. "So, you're planning on engaging him from a distance."

"Like you said earlier, I cannot cut my way free of those webs. If I got caught it would only inhibit your movements so I'll stay far enough away to dodge. He won't catch me by surprise with it this time."

Neji gave a curt nod and leapt, freefalling towards the branch Kidomaru was standing on. The spider-like shinobi tried to position himself to attack Neji upon his landing, but was forced back as a series of Kunai buried themselves into the branch. Neji landed lightly, his hands immediately rising to shred a clump of webbing sent flying towards him. He darted forward and Kidomaru leapt back to keep his distance, unwilling to close and engage that dangerous Jyuken style in close-combat.

Unfortunately for him, the trunk of the tree prevented him from backing up much further. Undaunted, Neji charged in. Seeing no better option Kidomaru tried to ensnare him with another blast of webbing. Unfortunately for him a Fuuma Shuriken whistled down from above, pinning the webbing to the trunk of a tree long before it was able to reach Neji. The young prodigy leapt nimbly over the shuriken and landed lightly in a stance that he had assumed many times in training, and was now about to use for the first time in combat.

A confident smirk spread across his face as he stared at his opponent. "It's over." And then he sprung into action. He covered the remaining distance in the blink of an eye, but as fast as his body moved it couldn't compare to the blurred speed his hands were flying through the air at. "Two Palm!" The twin strikes staggered Kidomaru, robbing him of his balance. "Four Palm!" The blows forced him backwards, pushing the Oto-nin back against the tree trunk. "Eight Palm!" Neji's continued attack crushed Kidomaru against the trunk, driving the breath from his lungs. "Sixteen Palm!" Under the continued assault the tree proved least durable, deep cracks appearing in the wood. "Thirty-Two Palm!" The barrage blasted Kidomaru through the trunk, Neji following him into the open air beyond. "Sixty-Four Palm Strike!" The last combination of blows hit Kidomaru in mid-air, driving him downwards. Neji landed gracefully on his feet, but frowned in concern as he got a good look at his opponent.

Kidomaru hit the ground hard, leaving a decent-sized crater in the ground and kicking up an impressive dust cloud. But clouds of dust were of no concern to the Byakugan, and Neji could see that his foe's chakra system was completely unaffected by his attack. The reason, as near as he could tell, was the strange coating covering the Oto-nin's entire body. Meitoku drifted downwards, and caught sight of Kidomaru pulling himself out of the crater with a golden substance flaking off of his skin.

The spider-nin flexed his arms experimentally, causing the last of the substance to flake off and fall to the ground. "I can form two types of webbing. One of them hardens when it comes into the contact with air, and is completely resistant to chakra flowing through it. And I can secrete it from every pore in my body."

Neji narrowed his eyes. This was hardly a welcome complication, that strange webbing would allow Kidomaru to completely neutralize his Jyuken strikes so long as the Oto-nin had enough time to prepare. He did, however, have assistance in this fight. Meitoku had shown considerable talent during their brief fight earlier. He just hoped it would be enough to turn the tide. Pushing his doubts aside, Neji took up his stance and charged.

Kidomaru just smirked, the golden armor oozing onto his skin once more. He barely even paid attention as Meitoku threw a kunai, as it was plain to see that it would miss badly. Sure enough, it embedded itself into the soft dirt about ten feet behind him. Then the explosive note went off. It was too far away to do any significant damage; but the concussive blast did force him to take a single stumbling step, it also caused his golden covering to flake off. Then Neji was upon him.

Kidomaru was forced to give ground freely, hard-pressed to avoid the subtle and deadly palm strikes Neji threw his way. Every time he tried to set himself up for a counterattack there came a shuriken or kunai from Meitoku. They forced him to dodge to one side, or leap over them; each throw robbing him of his balance and giving Neji another opening. He was fast enough though to, barely, keep out of the Hyuga's reach. Neji growled in frustration and leaned forward into a strike.

Kidomaru could hardly believe his luck. He ducked away from Neji's strike easily, and was even able to maneuver into such a position that Meitoku didn't have an opening to hit him with a projectile. It was the perfect opportunity, or so he though. For then he caught a glimpse of Neji; saw how his feet were spread and his arms held near his waist. For then he realized that Neji had anticipated his dodge, had counted on it. Kidomaru prepared himself for the blow, but had no chance to dodge the Hyuga's strike as he spoke the name of his attack. "Kaiten!"

The wave of chakra smashed into Kidomaru, snapping his head back viciously before throwing him backwards. He disappeared into the underbrush, and Neji paused a moment to catch his breath. "How powerful is that move?" asked Meitoku from above, "It initially struck Kidomaru on the head so it may have been able to render him unconscious."

"No, the Kaiten is primarily a defensive technique. It's unlikely that it could knock someone out of a fight in a single hit, although it certainly would hurt. Besides he's getting to his feet. And there's something…odd with his chakra system."

"What do you mean something odd?"

Neji's eyes widened in shock, "A cursed seal!" Meitoku dove to the side as a stream of webbing flew at him. Kidomaru hurtled out of the trees a fraction of a second later, his skin now covered by a series of curving black lines. Neji quick-stepped to the side, barely avoiding Kidomaru's initial charge. What followed was a rapid taijutsu exchange that Meitoku could barely follow. His fist tightened around the kunai he held in frustration, he just couldn't risk sending a weapon into that chaotic melee.

Fighting Kidomaru presented Neji with a unique set of challenges. The Oto-nin used his four extra limbs to great effect, launching extra attacks to keep Neji off-balance. He also used them to deflect his palm-strikes with wide sweeping motions that made contact with the forearms instead of the hands. So long as he was able to avoid the Hyuga's hands Neji would be unable to attack his tenketsu or organs with Jyuken strikes. Even so, Neji had a slight edge. A mistake on his part only meant that he'd take a fist, and there were very few taijutsu styles that could end a blow in one strike. Whatever Kidomaru used wasn't one of them, but Jyuken was. Both combatants knew that, and knew that Kidomaru had no room for error. If he slipped up, not even that golden armor would be fast enough to save him from a possibly debilitating strike.

One of Kidomaru's arms reached into a pouch on his back. Neji ignored it, assuming that Kidomaru had gone for a smoke bomb. He was wrong. Kidomaru slammed the small object he withdrew into the ground, blinding Neji with a sudden flash of light. The young Hyuga kept his wits about him though, falling back into his Kaiten. Kidomaru crouched patiently, knowing that when the technique ended he'd have his chance to strike. But Meitoku wasn't waiting out anything.

The young Kumo-nin drew his Katana as he leapt down from the trees. He landed on leading edge of the Kaiten, flexing his knees to absorb the impact and hitting at the perfect angle. He ricocheted off the Kaiten, his katana leveled straight at Kidomaru's heart. The Oto-nin was just barely able to move fast enough, flinging himself desperately to the side. He avoided the stab to the heart, though he was gashed rather deeply across one of his arms. Kidomaru growled in frustration and used two of his arms to send a pair of backhands at Meitoku.

The young Kumo-nin ducked, reversing his momentum into a backwards role as he fell beneath the attacks. It was just as Kidomaru had anticipated, and he knew there was no way the kid would be able to dodge the stream of webbing he spat. But Meitoku's thoughts had taken the same lines as Kidomaru's, and he blocked the webbing with a raised forearm. When Kidomaru tried to pull on him with the string the sleeve of the jacket simply tore off, much more easily than one would have expected. The loss of his sleeve revealed some sort of device strapped to Meitoku's forearm, but Kidomaru barely had a chance to glimpse it before he heard a sizzling sound. Looking down at the sleeve in his hand he saw that it was liberally lined with explosive tags. Meitoku grabbed hold of Neji, who was starting to recover his vision, and leapt clear in the nick of time.

The tags detonated with a deafening roar, and a blast strong enough to topple several of the gargantuan trees that Ho no Kuni was known for. The edge of the concussive blast caught Meitoku as well, ruining his carefully considered landing and sending him sprawling alongside Neji. The two young shinobi groaned slightly as they climbed to their feet. Meitoku was the first to speak. "How well is your vision recovering?"

"I can see just fine now, the effects of that light pellet seem to have only been temporary."

"Good, can you locate him?"

"It will take some time."

"Why? Your Byakugan provides you with both ubiquitous and penetrative vision."

"I can only maintain a 360 degree field of vision out to a distance of fifty meters. I can see further of course, but that involves using a telescopic effect. Searching such a large area in that manner will not be quick."

"I'll cover you."

"Very w-get down!" The young Hyuga caught Meitoku in a flying tackle, bringing both of them out of harm's way a fraction of a second before a golden arrow split the air where they had stood and created a rather impressive crater as it impacted the ground.

Both shinobi rolled to their feet, and a hint of unease broke through Meitoku's normally stoic demeanor as he spoke. "What was that?"

"An arrow, an arrow the size of a spear. I have no idea how he launched it with that much power."

Meitoku frowned slightly. "That's a pretty powerful ranged attack. I think I can counter it though."

"How?"

Meitoku was already reaching towards one of the pouches on his belt. "The most advanced piece of chakra-dependent technology my clan has been able to produce. Cover me." He withdrew a metal tube from a pouch, then raised his right arm. A closer examination of the device on Meitoku's forearm revealed a bracer with several boxy shapes mounted on it. Meitoku snapped the tube into place even as Neji used a Kaiten to deflect another arrow.

Then Meitoku withdrew several lengths of thick wire, inserting one end of each of them into a hole on his bracer. A quick application of his chakra caused them to bend into a predetermined shape, wrapping around the tube in a quartet of wire coils. He grabbed the free end of each of them and tucked them into their own slots. He dove into a sidelong roll, avoiding another arrow, as he reached back into his pouch. This time he grabbed a scroll stored within a cylindrical wooden case. He snapped it into place and withdrew a length of the paper, covered in storage seals, and slid it into a slot in the barrel. After sweeping an appraising eye over the device and finding no problems he flashed through a lengthy series of hand seals and started charging the device with his lightning chakra. He took hold of his katana with his other hand before turning to Neji. "I can handle the arrows for a short period of time, I need his location if I'm to hit him."

Neji focused his vision, extending it far beyond its usual fifty foot range. Kidomaru launched another arrow, but Meitoku was ready for it. He slid smoothly in front of Neji, his katana already flashing through a parry. It was executed to perfection, but he had misjudged the sheer speed and force behind the arrow's flight. His katana didn't alter the arrow's course nearly as much as he had hoped, forcing him to throw himself suddenly to the side to avoid it. He was partially successful, as the arrow blew through the meat of his upper thigh before slamming into the ground a few feet from Neji.

Meitoku grimaced in pain as he shifted his weight to his unwounded leg. There was no way the other one would be able to hold his weight any more. He may still be able to cover large distances with chakra-enhanced leaps, but the technical footwork required in close combat situations would be beyond him for a while. Thankfully, he had managed to buy Neji enough time to spot their foe. Kidomaru had changed again, his chakra system becoming even more unusual. Now his physical appearance was greatly altered as well. There was a curving horn-like protrusion jutting from each of his forearms and his skin had taken a dull reddish tint. It would appear, Neji surmised, that there was more to the Cursed Seal than anyone in Konoha had previously realized. "I have his location."

"Where?"

"He's two hundred thirty-seven meters away at a bearing of one hundred forty-three degrees South-Southeast at an altitude of thirty-seven meters."

Meitoku brought his arm in line, sighting down the barrel. "Got it. Naibun Jutsu: Magunechikku Koushin." Kidomaru saw Meitoku swing his arm around, and the sixth sense all shinobi seemed to have in order to sense danger kicked in. He jerked to the side, and just in time. He felt something fly by his head close enough to rip off his hitaite before impacting the tree trunk with an audible crack. He turned his head to see a hole the size of his fist blown clean through the trunk of the tree. Resisting the urge to curse under his breath he leapt away, spitting out another arrow as he went.

Neji remained relatively stationary, pivoting on the ball of one foot to keep himself facing Kidomaru as he called out a constant stream of positions to Meitoku. Then Kidomaru launched the arrow. For a fraction of a second Neji wondered if his vaunted eyes were deceiving him, but no, there was a length of silk attached to the end of the arrow. For the life of him he just couldn't figure out its purpose. Then the arrow suddenly altered its course, almost instantly exiting Neji's narrowed field of vision.

Neji's eyes widened in surprise as he snapped his vision back to its shorter, but all encompassing range. He acted on instinct as he caught sight of the arrow again, reaching out and shoving Meitoku aside. He got hit as a result. The arrow grazed his left forearm, but that was still more than enough break the bone and carve a bloody gash across the arm. Then the arrow slammed into the ground, and the two boys weathered the dust cloud it flung up.

Meitoku didn't catch sight of Neji's injury until after the dust could settled. "How badly injured is your arm."

"The bone's broken and the muscle's damaged pretty badly. I'm not going to be able to use it."

"Get ready, he's going to come at us in close range combat."

"With those arrows, why?"

Meitoku raised his arm, calling attention to the device attached to it. "Because I've shown that I can be just as dangerous in ranged combat as he is. This is the pinnacle of my clan's research and I have enough chakra for five shots, each of which could punch through a stone wall with enough force to kill anybody behind it. But now you're down to one arm and my leg's too badly injured for the intricate footwork required for advanced close combat techniques. A taijutsu fight's probably less dangerous to him right now than a ranged one."

Neji narrowed his eyes slightly, "Move!"

Meitoku saw Neji's mouth open, and was moving before the word was even spoken aloud. Even so, he was barely able to get out of the way. One of Kidomaru's fists clipped the scroll canister attached to the device, tearing it free and depriving the weapon of its source of ammunition. Another of the fists caught Meitoku in the gut. A moment of pain more intense than any the young Kumo-nin could ever remember flashed through him as he was sent flying through the air.

Kidomaru spun as Neji bore down on him, swinging with his other two arms. Neji darted from side to side, barely avoiding the strikes. He had a split second to note just how much faster Kidomaru was before he became fully engaged in the fury of combat. He was forced to duck and weave, giving ground freely as Kidomaru's relentless assault wore on. Kidomaru brought all four of his arms into play; putting Neji, who only had one functional arm, at a huge disadvantage.

Then Neji spun suddenly off to the side. Kidomaru figured out what was happening soon enough, desperately throwing himself to the side as another shot from Meitoku split the air between the two combatants. Three more followed soon after as Meitoku closed the distance in a series of bounding leaps. Neji got there first, but Kidomaru was ready. He pulled a spear out of his mouth as he spun around, stabbing it deeply into Neji's gut. Neji's eyes widened in disbelief as Kidomaru leapt away, ripping the barbed spearhead free of the young Hyuga.

The spear spun through the air, deflecting Meitoku's three remaining shots. Kidomaru had barely touched down when he was in motion again; effortlessly slipping away from and deflecting the barrage of kunai Meitoku flung through the air. Then he landed in front of the young Kumo-nin, raising the spear and beginning a vicious barrage of attacks. Meitoku got his katana up and blocked the first blow, although the sheer power behind it nearly tore the blade from his fingers. He brought it back in, and just managed to deflect the second thrust out wide. But that move forced him to put pressure on his wounded leg. It buckled beneath his weight, robbing him of his balance.

He had no chance to block Kidomaru's next strike. The spear shaft smashed into the side of his head, dazing him and tearing his hitaite free. The next strike smashed the haft of the weapon across his face, and a brutal kick to his ribs sent him tumbling backwards again. "Well, it looks like to the two of you were only a hindrance after all. I have to admit, for gennin you made a pleasant diversion." He raised his spear, "But now it's over."

Metoku coughed, tasting blood in his mouth as he finished the last of the hand seals he had painstakingly shielded from view with his body. "You talk too much. Raiton: Yayakoshi Daho!" The kunai all around the clearing stirred as the wires attached to them animated, whipping around to wrap up Kidomaru. He fought against the pull, easily raising his arm to throw the spear when the electricity hit. Meitoku's lightning chakra sped through the wire, washing across Kidomaru and pouring into his nervous system. He seized up as the lightning poured across him for a few short seconds, overloading his nerves. Then the electricity died down, and Kidomaru knew that he'd have full control of his body again in a few short seconds.

But he didn't have those few short seconds. Neji had closed the distance between them. He launched a single strike, his two fingers slamming into Kidomaru's temple. The spider-like shinobi collapsed, dead before he hit the ground. Meitoku was breathing hard, planting his hand in the dirt as he coughed up blood. "Neji, remember what Naruto said before we left Konoha?"

The young Hyuga collapsed to the ground, his one working hand futilely trying to stop the flow of blood from his abdomen. "Yeah."

Meitoku coughed again, watching his blood splatter the soil beneath him. "Consider yourself forgiven." Then he slumped to the ground, letting the darkness claim him.

**Author's Note: Well, this chapter was kind of a difficult one to write. It took a while to get the end of Neji and Meitoku's battle well. This is the longest chapter I've written though, so hopefully that helps offset the wait a bit. And I have to say, the response to the last chapter was great. Actually, the response to the last several chapters has been. There's been a marked increase in the numbers of reviews and hits I've been getting, which is something you really like to see as an author on this site. So thank you, and please, keep it up.**

**Translations**

**Naibun Jutsu: Magunechikku Koushin – Translates to Secret Jutsu: Magnetic Acceleration. This jutsu is the greatest secret of the Gifu clan and works similarly to a Gauss Rifle. Electricity is run through a series of superconductive coils, accelerating a projectile inside the barrel to tremendous speeds. Normally special projectiles sealed into scrolls are used as ammunition. However, in a pinch it is possible to use pretty much any magnetic object that can fit in the barrel; such as kunai, senbon, shuriken, etc.**

**Raiton: Yayakoshi Daho – Translates to Lightning Style: Entangling Seizure. In order to use this jutsu it is first necessary to permeate an area with ninja wire. Then the technique is activated, causing the wires to tighten and wrap around the chosen target. Once the wires have their hold Lightning Chakra is channeled through them, short-circuiting the target's nervous system and leaveing them relatively immobile for a short period of time.**

**Fuuton: Daitoppa – Translates to Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu - Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**


	24. Chapter 23: Complications

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

The remaining four shinobi who had left Konoha to intercept Sasuke were currently crouched in a circle, discussing their next move. "It'd be different if Neji was here," Shikamaru was saying, "but without him we don't have anybody who can see in the dark. If we attack them now we'll be entering territory they've seen and we haven't, and we can't afford the confusion that could cause."

"But Kiba, Naruto-kun, and I can map out the area by scent alone. It could give us a decided advantage if our opponents don't have similarly sharp senses."

"And how well can you smell traps? They've already shown that they're pretty good at laying those."

"Kidomaru showed that he was pretty good at laying traps," Naruto muttered, "we don't know that the rest of them have similar talents. And besides, we can smell steel. I think our primary concern has to be how well your shadow jutsu work at night."

Shikamaru glanced up at the night sky, "It's hard to say on a night like this. The moon's almost full, so there are shadows. They tend to be more widespread than they are during the day too, so I have more range. But it's also fairly common for a cloud to cover the moon, or to stumble into an area of complete shadow. If that happens my jutsu are useless."

Naruto sighed, "Dawn then. We'll wait for the sun to start rising and strike before they get moving. And we can circle around to get in front of them during the night in case they start moving earlier than expected. We just need a plan of action for when we attack."

Shikamaru placed his hands together, holding them in a familiar "o" shape. "I can handle that."

The attack began at dawn. Yugito and Naruto streaked in at the maximum speed they were capable of without Shitai no To-Remu, practically flying through the trees. The first words out of Tayuya's mouth were, predictably, a series of creative obscenities in varying levels of vulgarity. She waited until the last moment before grabbing the barrel and leaping downwards off the branch, leaving Sakon to hold the pair off.

No sooner had she left the branch then Kiba and Akamaru launched themselves out of the trees, their Gatsuugas bearing down on her. She cursed again and dodged aside, but wasn't quite fast enough. She felt her body get jerked around as the barrel was torn from her grasp. Several things happened in the next couple of seconds. Yugito threw Sakon off the branch, slamming a smoke bomb down as she turned to leap away. Naruto landed on the trunk of the tree as smoke rapidly filled the area. He channeled wind chakra into his claws as he sliced through the thick tree limb, letting Tayuya join her partner in a disoriented and blind free fall.

Naruto wasted little time in speeding away, joining the remaining members of his team as they made all speed towards Konoha. Kiba glanced behind him as he leapt through the tree tops. "Great plan Shikamaru, it worked perfectly. Do you think we can beat them back to Konoha?"

"We don't need to get all the way back to Konoha, just within range of its patrols. Then we can get more reinforcements than they can even hope to fight."

"Well do you think we can do that?" Before Shikamaru had a chance to answer a wire whizzed out of the forest behind them. Naruto and Kiba contorted in mid-air, evading it by inches. Aakamaru wasn't quite so lucky, the wire wrapped around the hound and pinned him to a branch. Kiba didn't even hesitate. He turned in midair, tossing the barrel at Shikamaru as he dove back to save his companion.

He landed on the branch above Akamaru just before Sakon arrived, throwing his hands up in a desperate block. Then an explosive tag went off, shattering the branch and sending its occupants tumbling downwards. There was an unmistakable undercurrent of concern as Shikamaru spoke, "There's a ravine down there."

Yugito planted her feet against the trunk of a tree, reversing her direction. "I'm on it." She plunged downwards, speeding along trunks and branches as she headed down to aid Kiba. Then Naruto bit back a sudden curse, diving towards Shikamaru. Shikamaru flinched, scarcely believing that Naruto would betray him. Then he heard a thump behind him. He spun back around to see a thin figure with long white hair perched atop the barrel. He straightened his legs, leaping away and carrying the barrel with him a fraction of a second before Naruto was able to reach him.

The new arrival landed some seventy feet away, an impressive feat considering the position he had leapt from. He touched down just behind Tayuya, who seemed visibly shaken by his presence. "K-Kimminaro. What are you doing here? I th-thought you were-"

She stopped suddenly as Kimmimaro fixed her with a cold stare. That perked Naruto's interest; there was apparently something he didn't want them to know. "I have come to ensure that Sasuke is brought safely to Orochimaru-sama. It seems that I was right to assume that you would be unable to complete the mission on your own. I will leave you to take these two." And with that, Kimmimaro blurred from sight."

Naruto's eyes narrowed in frustration. "One of us is going to have to pursue him while the other fights Tayuya."

"I know, your tracking capabilities exceed mine."

"That's exactly what I was thinking, cover me."

"Troublesome."

Naruto shook his head. Some things, it appeared, never changed. Then he was gone, speeding through the treetops in pursuit of Kimmimaro. Tayuya moved at practically the same instant, her course set to intercept Naruto. He grinned as they drew closer, then activated Shitai no To-Remu. His sudden increase in speed caught Tayuya completely by surprise, and Naruto blew past her before she had a chance to react.

She immediately turned to leap in, a most likely futile, pursuit but was instead forced to dodge to the side as a tendril of shadow lashed out at her. She turned to see Shikamaru standing on a tree branch, his hands still held in the final seal of his Kagemane no Jutsu. He sighed, "It's troublesome but…your opponent is me."

During the long moments following the explosion Kiba knew nothing but confusion and the relentless pull of gravity. He cradled Akamaru to his chest as he tumbled downwards, desperately using various stony crags sticking out of the side of the ravine to slow his fall. The fall felt like it lasted hours, although he knew rationally that it couldn't have lasted longer than a second or two. Then he landed, feeling both relief and disbelief that he had been able to emerge from the fall unscathed.

He set Akamaru down on the ground and looked around, finding himself beneath an overhang formed by the cliff above him. The ceiling, wall, and ground were all made of stone; and there was a swift-flowing river not so far away. He didn't see his opponent, and for a while dared to hope that he hadn't survived the fall; that his lifeless body was hung up on the crags jutting from the sides of the ravine above him.

Then he caught a trace of Sakon's scent as it descended towards the ground. The Oto-nin landed a half-second later, eyeing Kiba and Akamaru with a predatory glare. Then he launched himself at Kiba, fists raised to strike. But the young Inuzuka had hardly been caught off guard. The moment he had caught a whiff of Sakon's scent he had fed Akamaru a soldier pill, and started flashing through some familiar hand seals.

It was two Kibas that burst into motion at the same time as Sakon. They launched themselves into a countercharge, spreading out slightly at the last minute so that Sakon passed between them. It was a textbook perfect flanking maneuver, and Kiba didn't plan on wasting the opportunity. Both Kibas struck, their blows imbued with the viciousness that their clan was known for. They both kept track of their blows; both knew that some of them got past Sakon's defenses. Yet when they leapt away from him as their momentum played out they could see that he was completely unharmed.

Kiba and Akamaru exchanged quick glances, reaching an unspoken agreement before launching themselves forward once more. But this time there was new twist to their charge, literally. The two leapt, twisting sideways into the familiar motions of their Gatsuuga. They saw Sakon's eyes widen slightly, some him prepare to move. But they already knew it was too late. They had seen him act before, had a rough idea of his speed and skill level. They knew that there was no way a man at his level of skill would be able to escape this attack unscathed.

Thus it came as a complete surprise when Kiba felt two hands grab his own, stopping his attack cold. He looked forward to see himself staring into Sakon's face, now covered by weird black markings. But the shock came when he looked past Sakon, to see another head with an identical shock of grayish hair. Another torso, and another set of arms that was holding the ninja hound at bay. "W-what!"

Sakon smirked before replying. "Ukon and I, we're rather unique brothers. He usually resides inside of me. But when battle comes…I just can't deny him the opportunity to have his fun." He laughed slightly as his grip tightened around Kiba's wrists, "It's just too bad you won't be able to keep us entertained for long." Sakon changed as he spoke, the marks expanding to cover the entirety of his skin and turning a dark red. A horn sprouted from his head. One of his legs and one of his arms became covered in overlapping plates of black and silver. But the most immediate concern was the sudden increase in strength enjoyed by the Oto-nin, and Kiba could feel the bones in his wrist preparing to break under the pressure.

Then he saw a flash of yellow-orange at the edges of his vision. Yugito was descending from directly above Sakon and Ukon; her fist raised to strike and the tell-tale sheen of Chikara no To-Remu outlining her limbs. Kiba felt the pressure on his wrists slacken, heard the crack of Yugito's fist connecting, felt the stone crumple beneath his feet, and saw the tremendous cloud of dust thrown up by Yugito's attack. She was glancing about as the dust settled, noticing the now separate figures of Sakon and Ukon as they climbed back to their feet. Her gaze drifted to Kiba and she offered him a grin, "Sorry for the late entrance, but I had to take my time coming down that ravine. They say a cat always lands on its feet but it's not exactly something I wanted to test you know."

A rueful grin spread across Kiba's face. "Saved by a cat, if my clan finds out about this I'll never live it down."

Shikamaru eyed Tayuya warily as she withdrew a flute that appeared to have been thrust through the rope belt she was wearing. When Shikamaru saw her bite her thumb he leapt forward, but couldn't reach her in time to prevent Tayuya from completing her jutsu. She slammed her bloodied hand down onto the tree branch. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

Shikamaru reversed his direction as he saw the smoke appear around Tayuya. Summons could be very dangerous, very powerful. He needed to ensure that he had enough time to react to whatever she brought to the battlefield. He was caught completely by surprise as he saw three monstrous, misshapen humanoids emerged from the cloud of smoke. He'd never even heard of a summoning contract that summoned something besides an animal of some sort.

He didn't have much time to dwell on it though, as Tayuya raised the flute to her lips and began playing. The ogres leapt forward immediately, their clubs raised to swing as they bore down on Shikamaru. The young shadow-user leapt back, clearing the area a few seconds before a club reduced the branch he'd been standing on to splinters. His eyes narrowed as he analyzed his situation. The ogres were slow, and he'd have little trouble catching any one of them with his Kagemane no Jutsu if it was alone. Unfortunately there were three of them. To make matters worse Tayuya seemed capable of using her flute to keep all three of them moving in perfect coordination, or at least close enough to it for them to cover each other very well. He'd have to possess all three of them if he was to avoid getting pummeled by the rest. And to do that he'd either have to decipher how Tayuya's song affected their movements or take a risk and get lucky. He found risks troublesome, so he resigned himself to dodging through the forest with the ogres in hot pursuit.

The pattern held for quite some time. Tayuya proved to be quite adept at handling her ogres. They moved with excellent coordination, keeping enough distance between them where he couldn't snag all three with his Kagemane no Jutsu. Yet they were close enough where if he took the time to possess just one, another would be close enough to use the pulped remains of his body to decorate the nearby trees. To make matters worse, there were always at least two of them between himself and Tayuya. He wouldn't have an opportunity to attack until he could comprehend Tayuya's song. And unfortunately, he couldn't make heads or tails of any of her notes or rhythms.

Tayuya paused for a moment, raising her lips from the flute and looking at Shikamaru. "You're a persistent little fucker. Most people are dead by now, long before I need my final song. But nobody's ever heard this one and survived." Jagged black lines spread across her skin as she spoke, accompanied by a monstrous surge of chakra. Then she raised the flute to her lips and started playing again.

Shikamaru eyed the ogres warily as they opened their mouths, their stitches stretching wide. Then they leapt at him and he prepared to dodge once more. But just as he was preparing to leap away he saw something stirring from within their jaws. Then some sort of ethereal tendril tipped with fanged jaws extended from each of the beasts. Shikamaru's eyes widened in surprise as the tendrils bore down on him.

He allowed himself to fall backwards off the branch, getting himself out of harm's way in the nick of time. The tendrils passed through the branch where he had just been standing, continuing unhindered on their way towards him. He landed on a branch below him, not even bother to set himself properly before desperately flinging himself away once more. This time one of the tendrils got close enough to brush against him.

The tip of one of them nudged his knee, separating a ghostly representation of his leg from his actual flesh. That ghostly representation had its edge shredded, and Shikamaru felt a sudden fatigue in his leg. Then he was out of range, slamming down a smoke pellet to cover his retreat.

He continued his retreat until he had achieved a decent amount of distance between himself and those dangerous ogres. Then he lowered himself into a crouch. He winced a bit at the burning sensation in his leg, and the feeling of intense weariness in it. Those tendrils, they were obviously ethereal in nature given the way in which they passed through tree branches so easily. And while they didn't seem to do any physical harm, they were apparently perfectly capable of draining physical/spiritual strength. He'd have to be even more careful with them now than he was before. On the bright side though, he was beginning to identify the patterns in the fight. By watching Tayuya he was able to start to predict the movements of her ogres, and that was key.

He continued his retreat, weaving amongst the trunks and branches. He watched Tayuya, watched the ogres, watched the patterns, and knew he had it. His foot hit a patch of slick moss as he landed on the next branch, flying out from under him and dumping him onto his back. Tayuya smirked, sending her ogres in for the kill. And then they stopped. "Kagemane no Jutsu success."

Tayuya nearly dropped her flute in shock. She had been about to win, she had been certain of it. "How the hell did you do that? There's no fucking way you could have deciphered my melody."

"You're right; I couldn't follow your notes at all. Your hands however, each positioning of your fingers corresponded with a certain movement or formation for those ogres of yours. It took me a while, but I figured it out. Then I just had to draw them in, and a perceived weakness often makes a good trap." Shikamaru straightened causing the ogres to rise to their feet as well. He noticed that given their strength they were fairly easy to control, possibly because they were so used to being controlled. Oh well, he wasn't about to complain. He channeled chakra to his feet and leapt, causing all three of the ogres to bear down on Tayuya.

She smirked, "There's just one problem with your fucking plan." The ogres suddenly disappeared in a gigantic puff of smoke. "I dismiss my summons when I fucking feel like it." She grinned deciding she'd have to take a different approach to killing this pest. Deciding upon her course of action she raised the flute to her lips, or at least she tried to.

A small grin found its way onto Shikamaru's face. "I already told you, a perceived weakness makes a good trap. That holds true whether it's a weakness in a person's defense or a weakness in a plan. I knew you'd dismiss those things, so I just used them as a distraction to allow me to capture you with my Kagemane no Jutsu. Now it's over."

"That's what you think shithead." Even as she spoke the markings on Tayuya's skin seemed to expand, taking on a reddish-brown color as they covered her entirely. Horns sprouted from her head too, and she experienced a sudden surge in strength. That was what had Shikamaru worried. He was completely dependent upon his shadow techniques. If Tayuya was able to overpower them, and she was doing a pretty good job resisting it now, there'd be know way for him to win the fight. He sighed…this was going to be troublesome.

Naruto kept his Shitai no To-Remu active as he sped through the forest. He could sense Kimmimaro's chakra signature and knew that he was gaining on him rapidly. Kimmimaro must have sensed it to, for he came to a stop in the middle of a clearing before too long. It didn't take Naruto long to reach it as well, his bloodline already deactivated as he landed at the edge of the clearing.

Kimmimaro was standing in the center of the clearing, the barrel containing Sasuke sitting on the ground behind him. Naruto stood still for a moment, eyeing his newest opponent. "You can't outrun me. If you hand over that barrel I'll be willing to let you leave without a fight."

Kimmimaro took two steps forward. "I cannot allow that. Sasuke will become Orochimaru-sama's new vessel. Orochimaru-sama's goals and dreams depend upon Sasuke reaching him safely, and I will do anything it takes to make sure it happens."

Naruto's eyes narrowed, "So be it." He surged forward, Megurushi no To-Remu flaring to life as he went. Kimmimaro met him halfway, his robe falling back off his shoulder as he withdrew a sword of bone from it. Naruto had a half-second to realize that his opponent must have been a member of the supposedly extinct Kaguya clan before the two met. Any onlooker would have been struck by the sharp difference in styles between the two. Kimmimaro's movements were smooth and fluid. He almost seemed to dance across the battlefield as his sword wove through the air, its questing edges seeking Naruto's flesh.

Naruto's movements didn't appear to be nearly so graceful. He moved in short sudden bursts, each one carrying him away from one of Kimmimaro's strikes or setting him up for one of his own. He also stayed low to the ground, using three or four limbs to support himself as often as two while he threw strikes from seemingly impossible angles. The two leapt back again after a short exchange, eyeing each other warily. "A Kaguya, I'd heard that your clan was extinct."

"Most of them are, I'm the only survivor. Orochimaru-sama saved me, and gave my life purpose. I was chosen to become his next vessel. But then I became ill, terminally so. Orochimaru-sama can no longer use me to fulfill his dreams. I will ensure that he has Sasuke instead. He desires your kekkai genkai as well. He'll definitely be pleased if I can bring you both back, though with Yugito out there as well I doubt he'd mind too much if I killed you to bring Sasuke back."

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly as he digested this new information. Tayuya had clearly been surprised to see Kimmimaro, had thought there was something preventing him from fighting. A terminal illness, Naruto mused, may well have explained Tayuya's reaction. His musings finished, Naruto was about to respond to Kimmimaro's last statement when he felt a sudden surge of foul chakra. He glanced over at the barrel, seeing the chakra seeping form it. The seals along the lid of the barrel ripped open in rapid succession, and then the lid blew off the barrel in a blast of smoke. Even so, Naruto caught site of a figure leaping from the barrel, and his eyes followed Sasuke as he came to rest upon the clearing's grassy ground.

The Uchiha was different. The foul chakra of the cursed seal seemed to be more pervasive, as though it were fully integrated into his chakra system. But that wasn't the only change. Sasuke's skin had turned a sickly gray color, his hair lengthening to hang down to the middle of his back and turning an odd purplish color. But the change was only temporary. The Uchiha's hair reverted to its normal shade and color even as the odd hue of his skin receded, changing into the markings that Naruto had come to identify with the cursed seal before fading away entirely.

Naruto and Kimmimaro burst into motion at the same instant. Chakra burst forth from Naruto's skin, forming into his Mantoru no To-Remu even as he recomposed it to wind chakra and bore down on Sasuke. Kimmimaro moved sideways, placing himself between the two younger shinobi. He fully shed the upper part of his robe as he ran, and the mark of his cursed seal spread quickly across his skin. Then he set his feet, raising his sword above his head and bringing the blade whistling down towards Naruto.

To Kimmimaro's great surprise Naruto simply brought his hand up and caught the descending blade. The wind chakra surrounding his claws cut small grooves into the edge, rapidly widening them enough for Naruto's fingers to wrap around the sword in a secure hold. He took immediate advantage of Kimmimaro's surprise, wrenching the blade down and to the side as his other hand came up to slash across the bone user's face.

Kimmimaro simply leaned back, letting Naruto's claws pass within a fraction of an inch of his face before snapping back into an upright position. But he had underestimated the young Kumo-nin. Naruto leapt into the air, steadying himself with his grip on Kimmimaro's sword and turning a cartwheel in midair. No sooner had Kimmimaro straightened then the claws of Naruto's foot caught him across the face. His head snapped back from the force of the impact as he stumbled backwards. Naruto simply tugged on the sword to pull himself closer, his second foot slashing along the side of Kimmimaro's head. Only then did he let go, landing lightly on his feet as he spun to regard his opponent.

Kimmimaro's face was half-covered by what appeared to be a thick, white mass. Bone, Naruto figured, brought to the surface of the skin and used as armor. It was pretty effective too, as anything had to be if it was to stand up to the extraordinary edge afforded to his claws by wind chakra. Still, it wasn't a complete loss. Naruto could see the deep gouges in the bone as it receded back beneath Kimmimaro's skin. The impromptu armor may be able to absorb his blows, but Naruto could cut through it. If Kimmimaro didn't have sufficient time to make the armor thick enough, his claws could go right through it.

Kimmimaro frowned as he regarded the badly notched sword in his hand before letting it fall to the ground. There was only one other time in his life that he had fought against someone who could damage his bones so severely, and that had been the Yondaime Kazekage himself. He could see now why Orochimaru held such interest in the boy, and was also more convinced of his decision to leave and bring Sasuke to Orochimaru than ever. It might hasten his death, but he doubted that the Uchiha could have fought his way past the Araiki. "Sasuke, continue towards Otogakure."

"What about Naruto?"

"I will deal with him."

"Fine."

Sasuke bent at the knees, preparing to leap away. He was given pause; however, as Naruto's voice washed over him. "Run fast, Sasuke, and run far. Because once I'm finished with this guy I'm coming for you, and we both know how that will end." There was no bluster in Naruto's tone, no threat. The words were delivered with the eerie calm of one who knew that what he was saying was true. And that scared Sasuke more than he'd ever admit. The young Uchiha leapt away into the forest, silently hoping that Kimmimaro would be able to defeat one Araiki Naruto.

**Translations****:**

**Mantoru no To-Remu - Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Shitai no To-Remu - Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Chikara no To-Remu - Translates to Might of the Totem. This technique greatly increases the strength of its user.**

**Kagemane no Jutsu - Translates to Shadow Possession Jutsu**


	25. Chapter 24: First Contact

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Yugito chuckled, "They'll give you grief for being saved by a cat huh? Tell you what, make sure I only have to pull my own weight and I won't tell them about it."

"Deal, so what's the plan."

Yugito's eyes narrowed as she surveyed their opponents, reaching her conclusion quickly. "With an ability like that they're obviously used to fighting in tandem. Our taijutsu styles may be similar, but we've never fought together before. We need to separate, split them up and fight them one or one. Or in your case one on two."

"Got it, let's go Akamaru!" The pair bounded forward. Akamaru leapt into the air almost immediately, twisting into the Inuzuka's clan signature Gaatsuga technique. Sakon and Ukon had been thinking along the same lines as Yugito, and they stuck close together as they leapt away from the attack. Then Yugito was in front of them, Shitai no To-Remu fading from her skin as she closed to within melee range.

She bent sharply at the waist, a fist whistling within a hair's breath of her face. She continued her backwards momentum, entering a handstand as a follow-up axe kick smashed into the stone floor. She pushed off, leaping into the air and twisting around. Chikara no To-Remu blazed to life once more as her foot descended in her own axe kick. Sakon and Ukon had already seen the sheer strength her bloodline could afford her, and had no desire to take a hit while she was so empowered. They leapt away, having plenty of time to dodge the blow. It was just what Kiba had been waiting for.

He sprinted forward, entering his own Gaatsuga as he bore down on the twins. The twins were caught in mid-air with only two options left open to them. And accepting the hit from Kiba's Gaatsuga wasn't an option at all. Thus were they forced to push off against each other, splitting apart just before Kiba's attack split the air between them. Ukon landed in a low crouch, skidding to a stop. He was shifting his weight, preparing to rush back towards Sakon when Yugito appeared in front of him. She shot him a grim smile, "Not a chance."

Then she was darting forward, and Ukon had to focus the entirety of his concentration on the vicious melee combat that ensued. He was just barely able to duck under Yugito's initial punch, and he dodged her roundhouse kick by mere millimeters. His retaliatory punch connected with her shoulder, but it had been anticipated. Yugito had already started a spin, absorbing the impact and turning it into centrifugal force. That force was, in turn, transferred to her arcing kick. Her heel caught Ukon in the gut, doubling him over and sending him skidding across the stony ground. She took the opportunity to spare a glance over towards Kiba.

He had Sakon in dire straits. He was circling the Oto-nin along with Akamaru; their swift, darting movements preventing the older shinobi from reading their movements accurately. They moved in and out at random intervals, their claws lashing out at their foe. Sakon was completely on the defensive, barely able to avoid the slashing claws of his foes. Together, the twins were formidable. Separate, they were vulnerable. Separate, they were overmatched. And they knew it. If they didn't do something soon this fight was as good as over.

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Sakon and Ukon weren't the only ones in trouble. Shikamaru had called upon his Kage Kubi Shibari no Jutsu to aid him in his stand off with Tayuya. Despite the added help it brought, the incredible strength of Tayuya's level two form was still overpowering his shadow techniques. He knew that if he couldn't contain her he didn't have a chance, but he also knew he needed to release the technique or risk chakra exhaustion. So it was with great relief that Tayuya felt the shadows recede from her. She wasted little time in bringing the flute to her lips, and another of her deadly melodies filled the air once more.

Shikamaru was preparing to move when the world suddenly changed around him. Colors seemed to shift, swirling and changing as the forest disappeared from view around him. He was immediately hit by waves disorientation and vertigo as his sense of direction was lost. Up and down, distance, left and right; suddenly none of it had meaning. He fluctuated his chakra, trying to dispel the illusion with no success.

So he was lost. He had no sense of direction, no perspective. It was enough to mentally overwhelm even his vast intellect. He was beginning to panic when his mind seized on something. His shadows, the jutsu he had used while trying to restrain Tayuya were still active. He wasted little time in shifting the tendrils, casting about with them. It wasn't long until he felt one of the tendrils brush against his leg. He wrapped it around his leg, moving it up towards and wrapping it around the entirety of his body.

He gave a relieved sigh as his sense of direction suddenly returned to him. The genjutsu had given him the sensation that he was twisting randomly through space. But his shadows had to originate from a solid surface, and the added reassurance that his feet were in fact firmly planted allowed him to break through the first layer of the genjutsu. He still couldn't move or gather any information about his surroundings, nor could he fluctuate his chakra flow enough to break the genjutsu. But with his sense of direction restored his reasoning returned to him, and it wasn't as though there weren't other ways to break a genjutsu.

He forcefully repressed a grunt of pain as he used his shadows to snap a finger with sickening crack. As intense as the pain from a broken finger may have been, it was thankfully brief. The worst of it would be over soon anyway, and he had more important things to worry about. A prime example being the Level Two form of Tayuya a mere four feet from him and closing.

He extended his shadows once more, wrapping them around her even as her hand stole a kunai from his holster. He grabbed her wrist in one hand, straining to hold her at bay even as his shadows exerted their own influence. And it was working. Her movements slowed even as she raised the kunai. And then they stopped, leaving the two straining against each other in a deadly embrace. "My Kage Kubi Shibari no Jutsu," Shikamaru panted, "is stronger the less distance it has to travel to get to the target." The last part of his statement hung unspoken in the air, but both shinobi understood it well enough. _So let's see if you can break it now._

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Close combat, Naruto surmised, was simply not a viable option against Kimmimaro after the last Kaguya activated his cursed seal. To-Remu Yajuuki may have made him well suited for such a fight, but Kimmimaro's made him much better suited. With the help of the cursed seal he proved capable of sprouting bones from every square inch of his body at will, and they were extremely sharp and durable. If Naruto continued in his attempt to take Kimmimaro hand to hand he'd end up sliced to ribbons, or ensnared in a bone trap, or caught up in any number of other fates he'd rather not dwell on. Even the Rasengan wasn't too helpful in this situation, as Kimmimaro was simply able to extend a few bone "prongs" to intercept the attack. Sure, the Rasengan reduced the bones to powder. But it also expended itself in doing so, leaving Naruto open to the bone-wielders counterattacks. Learning that had very nearly cost Naruto his hand and truth be told he wasn't entirely certain about whether or not it would grow back. Nor did he want to find out.

Naruto leapt backwards, raising his hands as he sped through a quick series of seals. Kimmimaro, naturally, pursued in attempt to maintain the close-quarters combat the he had a distinct advantage in. Unfortunately for him that was a contingency Naruto had taken into account. He had used when of the simplest Fuuton Jutsu in existence, and Kimmimaro had no chance to dodge the Daitoppa at point blank range.

Shitai no To-Remu activated, allowing Naruto to quickly put a lot more distance between himself and Kimmimaro as his hands blurred through a set of seals. "Fuuton: Fuuryudan!" The first time Naruto had used this jutsu against Orochimaru it had taken a hellish toll on him. It required extremely precise chakra control or it would wreak havoc on even his vast reserves of chakra. So he had dedicated a lot of time to refining the technique since then, and the process of mastering the Rasengan did wonders for chakra control. He had finally gotten the Rasengan down while fighting Gaara, and afterwards had made certain that the Fuuryudan benefitted from his newfound control as well. As a result, this Fuuryudan was easily the most powerful he had ever produced.

The wind dragon twisted into the air, its mouth opening as if to roar as it bore down on its target. Kimmimaro flipped to his feet just in time to see the technique bearing down on him. He didn't have time to convert to his level two form, so he rapidly began growing his bones and prayed that it would be enough. Then the dragon hit.

Naruto's vision was obscured instantly, an enormous cloud of dust being thrown up as soon as the technique tore into the forested ground. It was a while before the dust settled enough for Naruto to see anything, and when it did he gave a low whistle of disbelief. The trees in the immediate vicinity were gone, simply gone. And the sawdust falling throughout the clearing like snow gave a pretty good indication of what had happened to them. He could see a bone hemisphere in the area. And it wasn't until he realized that it was far too small to hold Kimmimaro that he figured out it must have been resting in a crater that was already being filled by the dirt and sawdust his Fuuryudan had kicked up. Even from this distance he could see the deep gashes covering the dome's scarred surface, and for a second wondered if his attack had gotten through to the man beneath. No such luck.

The outer layer of the dome peeled back, splitting apart and revealing Kimmimaro standing within. Naruto idly noted that the crater was deep enough to reach the Kaguya's chest, but the majority of his attention was focused elsewhere. Namely the several nasty-looking cuts covering the young bone user. His attack had gotten through, but Kimmimaro had been able to form a shield strong enough to absorb the brunt of the damage. What had gotten through wasn't even lethal. Naruto grimaced; the Fuuryudan was the attack most likely to be able to break through Kimmimaro's defenses in one hit. And he needed to break through them in one hit or Kimmimaro would have enough time to grow more bone to stop him. Sure, if he kept throwing Fuuryudans at the Kaguya he'd manage to kill him eventually. But that wasn't exactly a practical option. It took a lot of hand seals to fire off that dragon, giving Kimmimaro ample time to react. Not to mention that it was a move requiring a lot of chakra. Even with his vast reserves Naruto couldn't throw too many of the things around without exhausting himself, and then he'd be in no condition to track down or fight with Sasuke. He suppressed a sigh; this was hardly an ideal situation.

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Ukon soon realized that he'd be unable to best Yugito in a straight up taijutsu fight. She was simply too skilled for him to take without the accustomed assistance from his brother. Speaking of his brother, Sakon was experiencing a similar lack of success against the Inuzuka and his mutt. He couldn't afford to hold back here at all.

He focused on Yugito with renewed energy, anticipating her attacks as best he could as he kept just ahead of her blows and slashes. He was looking for an advantage, one that would enable him to reach a temporary stalemate. It took a while, and several close calls, but eventually he found it. He slipped aside from one of her attacks, throwing his forearm out block the second slash. He twisted his hand around, grasping her wrist securely as his free hand grabbed her other hand at the elbow. Yugito arched an eyebrow in amusement, "You've already seen my strength," she intoned dryly, "you know that you can't hold me for long."

Ukon just grinned. And then, much to Yugito's surprise, he just seemed to flow into her. She gasped in surprise, feeling a subtle pain beginning to spread through her body. "How does it feel?" Yugito jumped in surprise, hearing Ukon's voice right in her ear. She turned her head to the side, and was greeted with the disgusting sight of the Oto-nin's head protruding from her right shoulder. Her left hand swung up reflexively, claws splayed wide as she attempted to flay Ukon's face. But it ducked back into her shoulder before her hand could reach it, soon rising slowly out of her left shoulder. She grimaced as she heard his sinister-sounding chuckle in her ear. "You'll have to do better than that."

"What the hell did you do?"

He chuckled again, the sound grating in her ear. "It's another of our special abilities. In our level two forms we can we can merge with the bodies of our opponents. Once we do that we can damage our foes from the inside. There's no type of training that can increase the durability of one's internal organs, so they're at our mercy. I wouldn't worry too much though; Orochimaru-sama wants you alive so I'll be sure to only knock you unconscious."

"You mean you're inside me and sharing my body."

"Yes."

Yugito shuddered slightly. "Well…I certainly feel violated. I've got news for you to. Naruto-kun's the only guy I plan on letting inside of me, and not for a few years at that. So, I'm afraid I have to kick you out."

She heard that infuriating chuckle again, "And how do you pl-" But Yugito was sick of listening to him, and in one swift movement she drew her claws across the inside of her wrist. She heard a scream of pain, Ukon instantly exiting her and stumbling away while clutching his bleeding wrist. "You bitch! What were you thinking?"

Yugito didn't even pause, applying pressure to her wrist with her free hand as Chikara no To-Remu blazed to life. Her kick caught the Oto-nin in the sternum, and she took a vicious pleasure in hearing something crack as he went flying away. "I heal rather quickly, so I can afford to take a bit of excessive damage in a pinch. Can you afford the same?"

Ukon grimaced, both at the pain in his chest and her words. He could benefit from accelerated healing as well, but only so long as he was assimilated with Sakon. Then it hit him. Yugito had been doing a masterful job of keeping him away from his brother, but she had made a mistake with that last kick. It had been powerful enough to send him flying, and she had sent him towards Sakon. He wasted little time in seizing the opportunity, rolling to his feet and scrambling to where his brother fought the Inuzuka.

Yugito swore under her breath as she realized her mistake, immediately sprinting after Ukon in pursuit. But she was too far away. Sakon twisted away from Kiba as Ukon approached him, desperately diving forward. Ukon extended his hand as he closed in, grabbing onto his brother's wrist. He disappeared almost instantly, merging with his brother once more. Sakon hit the ground in a diving roll, coming back to his feet in a fraction of a second. No sooner had he regained his feet thane he twisted to the side, avoiding Yugito's snap kick.

She didn't let the miss deter her, immediately hopping off of her plant foot and spinning around to bring her heel in line with Sakon's chest. But Ukon's arm extended out of Sakon's chest and caught her calf. Yugito's eyes had a fraction of a second to widen in surprise before Sakon struck. She was still clutching her wounded arm with her free hand, and didn't have enough time to raise either arm in a block. Both of Sakon's arms flashed out, slamming into her chest like hammer blows. The force behind the blows sent her tumbling backwards, skidding along the stony ground for quite some distance before she managed to roll back to her feet.

Kiba landed next to her in a low crouch, Akamaru prowling in front of the pair protectively. "What happened to your arm?"

"They have some kind of jutsu that lets them merge with and damage another body. I figured the best way to combat it was to force him out by wounding myself. I heal quickly anyways."

"How long is it gonna take to heal."

"I'm afraid that it might be too long now that they've merged again. We may need something drastic to either stall them or finish things off immediately."

Kiba grinned, "I think I've got just the move. Do it Akamaru!" Akamaru barked once in response, then leapt into the air and entered a flat spin. Yugito watched with interest, wondering what trick Kiba had up his sleeve. Then the dog started…pissing. She watched in disbelief as the golden liquid splattered Sakon before fixing Kiba with an incredulous glare. "That's it, that's your plan to finish this quickly?"

Kiba rolled his eyes as Akamaru landed next to him, the Inuzuka boy already flashing through a series of seals. "Nope, that's the preparation for my idea." Then Kiba's jutsu went off with a large cloud of smoke, temporarily obscuring the duo from view. When the smoke finally cleared, Yugito was much more impressed. Kiba and Akamaru appeared to have taken a leaf from Sakon and Ukon's book, the shinobi and his hound merging together into one body. But whereas the twins merely joined their bodies and remained their same size Kiba and Akamaru had transformed into a large two-headed canine, one that towered over all the shinobi present. "There's a new attack available to us in this form, one in which we spin so fast that we can't see a thing. So to prepare we need to make sure to mark them with a scent we can track."

"I see…but that doesn't make it any less disgusting."

The double-headed dog rolled its eyes, something Yugito found to be quite an interesting sight. "Cat's are always so prissy." Then the monstrous canine tensed, lunging forward. "Garouga!" The beast suddenly surged forward, entering a rapid spin as it sped towards their strange opponent. Sakon simply leapt to the side, figuring that something moving in midair would be unable to change their direction enough to hit him. He was wrong. Whether it was through chakra manipulation, or maneuvering his body to alter the airflow around his rapid spin, Kiba and Akamaru were able to twist rapidly to the side. Kiba felt himself smash into Sakon, felt the body separate under the force of the spin. But he realized something else too, there was no blood.

He landed on the stone floor as he came out of the spin, claws digging furrows in ground. His eyes narrowed as regarded the Sakon and Ukon, separate once more. "I see, you separated again to prevent me from tearing you apart. But that won't work twice." With that he sprang forward again, twisting into his devastating attack once more.

Yugito's eyes had immediately fixated upon Ukon's bloody wrist. It had healed, and done so quicker than hers had. Then she saw his thumb swipe through the blood on his wrist, a move that only made it easier to recognize the distinctive series of seals he was running through. The twins slammed a hand into the ground in unison, a giant metal gate appearing in front of them. Yugito's eyes widened as she sped forward, moving so that the Inuzuka duo was between herself and the twins.

She knew that Kiba and Akamaru didn't have enough time to swerve to the side this time, and that she'd have to do something to prevent Sakon and Ukon from taking advantage of the opening that was certain to occur. She needed something big, but the tendons in her wrist were still damaged enough to prevent her from using most of her high powered jutsu. There was one; however that was available to her. And the amount of chakra being bled off by Kiba and Akamaru, as well as that from the newly summoned gate, would prevent the pair of Oto-nin from getting a good sense of her chakra output. She grinned as she started gathering her chakra; this was going to be good.

Sakon and Ukon both smirked as their Rashuomon Gate rang from the tremendous force of Kiba's blow. It was an impressive shot, and put quite the dent in their gate. And if Kiba had hit the gate head first with that much force, he was going to be out of the fight for quite a while. But then, they felt a sudden surge of chakra perched atop their gate. They looked up just in time to see the enormous yellow-orange feline pounce.

Yugito walked cautiously around the gate, looking at the result of her To-Remu Konjou: Gonge. She hadn't made it nearly as big as Naruto had in his fight against Gaara, the fiery colored cat maybe half the size of a boss summon. It was enough to get the job done though, as evidenced by the two bloody smears beneath its paws. She grinned, "Good work, now do you think you can get back into my charka system and finish healing my wrist?"

Her totem grinned, an interesting sight on giant cat made of chakra. "Sure thing." And then it disappeared, flowing back into Yugito.

"You've got to be kidding me." Yugito spun around in surprise, seeing Kankuro crouched on a rock ledge some fifty feet above the cavern floor. "We travel three days at a forced march to arrive at Konoha sooner. Then we leave Konoha immediately to help you guys out, only to have the fight end by the time I get here."

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To say Shikamaru was possessed of an incredible mind was an understatement. His mental prowess, when applied, was possibly the most impressive in all of Konoha save his father and Kakashi. He could think through more scenarios in a second than most could in a minute, and he'd had several minutes trying to think of a way out of his current predicament. But no matter how many scenarios he ran through, he couldn't find a way out of this mess. He depended entirely on his shadow jutsu, and had previously run into problems when he'd tried to restrain her with them from a distance. So he'd taken a gamble, hoping that if he let her get closer the increased strength of his jutsu would be enough to subdue her.

But his hopes had proven fruitless. Tayuya's brute strength was still more than enough to overpower his techniques. Letting her get close had only accomplished two things. The first of them was to let him prolong what would seem to the inevitable. The second was to give him even less of a chance once the jutsu failed. Both Tayuya's strength and speed vastly eclipsed his own. When she broke free he wouldn't have a chance to escape, and if she so chose she'd be able to tear him apart with her bare hands. He needed a miracle if he was to come out of this alive.

Funny thing about miracles, you never knew what form they'd take. In this case, it took the form of a raging blast of wind that blew Tayuya deep into the forest without ruffling so much as a hair on Shikamaru's head. He jumped in surprise, because of both the blast of wind and the figure that landed on the branch beside him. He turned, seeing Temari crouched on the branch beside him.

She grinned, "Never thought I'd see someone as smart as you caught so completely by surprise."

He sighed in exasperation, "Care to fill me in?"

"Shortly after Suna's forces returned home our Kazekage's body was found in a canyon outside of Sunagakure. Orochimaru killed him weeks before the attack and impersonated him in order to trick our village into assisting him during his invasion. Once The Council of Wind discovered this they sent me and my siblings to Konoha in order to carry a proposed treaty and provide assistance if necessary. Once we got here your Hokage immediately sent us out to help bring Sasuke back. Now, what's the situation here?"

"She's primarily a long-distance fighter. Earlier she was using some summoned ogres that she controlled with a flute, but now she's using it to project audio-based genjutsu. We need to-"

"I asked for a summary of the situation, not suggestions."

"But it's impossible to determine the origin of an audio-based genjutsu just by listening to it. This is the perfect environment for her, it's a large area with an excess of cover. She can send genjutsu at us all day and we won't be able to figure out where she is."

Temari bit her thumb smearing the blood across her fan. "I know how dangerous she can be with those genjutsu, so I'm going to end this quick. As for where she is, well, quite frankly I could care less." She pulled her fan back, giving it a mighty swing. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Shikamaru had been expecting another blast of wind, much the same as everything else she had seen her do with the fan. Instead, a weasel flew out of the fan. One that flashed through the forest faster than Shikamaru's eye could follow.

Shikamaru felt his jaw drop. In a fraction of a second Temari had decimated hundreds of square feet of forestland. The once mighty trees were reduced to logs and splintered branches, and he could see one Tayuya pinned beneath a fragment of one tree trunk that must have weighed hundreds of pounds. She turned to Shikamaru, a grin spreading across her face. "There, no problem. What do you think about that?"

Shikamaru sighed, "Women are troublesome."

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Naruto skipped to the side, following the movement with a duck and a sidelong flip. Each movement was a dodge as he evaded the slashes from Kimmimaro's newest weapon, some sort of bladed whip that had once been his spinal cord. He was forced to leave his feet once more as soon as he regained them, leaping straight up to avoid a slashing blow aimed at his ankles. Kimmimaro just grinned and extended his hand, "Yubisaki Tama!"

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as the bones of Kimmimaro's fingers shot towards him with incredible speed. And he had no way to dodge them while in mid air. So he settled for the next best thing, activating Mantoru no To-Remu and curling into a ball to shield his vitals. He braced himself for impact, but instead felt something firm wrap around him. That was followed by a brief moment of disorientation as he was yanked through the air before hitting the ground. Naruto rolled, scrambling to his feet and finding himself face to face with Sabaku no Gaara. "What are you doing here?"

"Orochimaru killed our Kazekage and manipulated our village into aiding him during his attack. When our council discovered the deception they wished to negotiate a treaty and sent my siblings and myself along to with the diplomats in case your village needed our help. The Hokage sent us out to assist in the mission. We sensed three fights, and my siblings each headed off to one of those while I came to help you." Gaara paused for a second, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield. "Where is Sasuke?"

"He ran on ahead, burst out of the barrel he was being cared in. And I can't get past him with Kimmimaro in the way."

"I see, I'll deal with this one."

"Got it," then Naruto leaned over a bit, his next words coming in a whisper. "I think he's sick, some sort of lung disease that seems to be bothering him."

Gaara nodded once, "I see."

Naruto grinned, "Cover me." Then he was in an all out sprint, Shitai no To-Remu speeding his movement as he sped across the clearing. Kimmimaro tried to intercept, but he was cut off by a wall of sand before he had closed even half the distance. The bone user was forced to pull up short, watching helplessly as Naruto sped past him and into the forest.

Kimmimaro fixed Gaara with a level stare. "You are interfering with Orochimaru-sama's plans. I'll have to finish this fight quickly so I can make it in time to assist Sasuke in his fight against Naruto." Gaara simply crossed his arms, fixing Kimmimaro with his impassive stare. Kimmimaro stood there for a few moments, matching Gaara's gaze before bursting into motion.

He raised his hands as he charged, the bones of his fingertips shooting out once again. Gaara's sand swirled, rising in front of him and stopping the grisly bullets cold. It continued swirling, tightening and solidifying as Kimmimaro struck with his sword. The blade sunk a fraction of an inch into Gaara's defense. Then the sand tightened around Kimmimaro's sword as he tried to withdraw his blade, holding it in place. Kimmimaro paused in surprise for a fraction of a second, plenty of time for Gaara's sand to swirl around and surround the last Kaguya. Gaara's face remained impassive as he raised his hand, his fingers tightening into a fist. "Sabaku Kyuu."

A frown spread across Gaara's usually stoic features as he felt an unexpected resistance to his sand. His foe had survived. Gaara let his sand recede slightly, noticing the white layer that had risen past the surface of Kimmimaro's skin. "So your bones can protect you from my sand, interesting." Kimmimaro's only response was to surge forward once more, a bone sword held in either hand. This time he committed himself fully to the graceful and deadly dance of his clan. He moved fluidly around Gaara, his blades weaving a complex pattern that Gaara could barely discern.

Despite that, his sand continued to circle him and stopped every strike before it could even get close to the Suna-nin. Then Gaara's sand lashed out again, a tendril snapping towards Kimmimaro's face. The last Kaguya jerked his head to the side, barely avoiding the strike. Then he was forced into a retreat, moving backwards in short leaps as he stayed a step ahead of Gaara's sand. Then sand erupted forth from the ground behind him. Kimmimaro saw it, but too late. He had been moving backwards in mid leap, and smacked right into the rising cloud of sand. The sand wrapped around the last Kaguya immediately, creeping upwards despite his struggles. "How?"

"When I arrived I sent some of my sand underground. It's a simple matter to use my sand to crush minerals underground and create more sand. This battlefield...has been shaped for my use. Now, let's see if you can resist my sand again."

Kimmimaro's eyes narrowed slightly. For a second Gaara could feel a sudden increase in…contempt, anger? Then the boy changed. His skin darkened to an inhuman grayish color, dark markings surrounding his eyes. Several bones thrust their way out of the Oto-nin's back, piercing the sand with ease. Kimmimaro tensed, and then pushed. Gaara could feel the Kaguya straining against the sand, then he broke through.

The last Kaguya charged across the open ground, the bones jutting out of his back and the long tail whipping around behind him lending the boy a dinosaur-like experience. Gaara frowned and threw up a wall of sand, only for Kimmimaro to blow straight through it. Gaara's eyes widened slightly in surprise as he saw Kimmimaro break through his sand so easily. He threw up another wall, making it thicker and stronger than before. Simultaneously, he gathered a platform of sand around his feet, preparing to move quickly should the need arise.

Kimmimaro smashed into the new wall of sand as well, facing resistance this time as he powered through it. Eventually, he was able to bull through. The sand wrapped around him, constricting and slowing his movements even as he moved through it. Nevertheless, it was child's play for Kimmimaro to cause bone plates to rise to just under the surface of his skin in this state, protecting him from the crushing effects of Gaara's deadliest threat.

He formed a spear of bone in his hand even as Gaara rose into the air, hurling it with all his considerable strength. Gaara's sand swirled in front of him once again, interposing itself between the Suna-nin and the spear. The spear slammed into the sand, half its length protruding through the barrier. Even as Gaara's sand remained in front of him Kimmimaro brought his hand behind his back, grabbing the top of his spinal cord as it protruded from the base of his neck. He pulled it free once more, using it as a chain staff as he swung it towards Gaara. But his sand imposed itself again, forming a sphere around Gaara as the improvised chain staff wrapped around it.

Kimmimaro growled low in his throat. He was sick of this sand; sick of it wrapping around him, sick of it protecting his foe, he was even sick of the gritty taste of the sand that had gotten into his mouth as he plowed through Gaara's sand barriers. He gave a mighty heave, pulling Gaara and his sand back down to the ground. "I'm growing tired of your sand," he intoned as bones grew out of his left forearm. They enlarged, wrapping around each other as they formed a mighty spear. "But it won't save you from this." He thrust forward even as Gaara's sand shifted once more, condensing beneath Kimmimaro's strike and allowing the two combatants to view each other once more. Kimmimaro leaned into his thrust, adding his weight to it as it slowly sunk through Gaara's sand. ""It's over; your sand can't save you this time."

"Sand can get annoying. It gets everywhere; eyes, nose…mouth." A gentle emphasis was placed on that last word, one that gave Kimmimaro pause. "I see you understand what I'm talking about. Strange isn't it? How the sand could get into your mouth while it was closed. Naruto gave me an idea when he mentioned your supposed illness. I've been using that sand covering you as a distraction, allowing me to put sand into your lungs. Let's see your bones save you from this."

Then Kimmimaro felt a pain more intense than any he'd ever known as his lungs were pulped by the grains of Gaara's sand. He reeled backwards stumbling away from Gaara. The last Kaguya gave out a rasping cough, spitting blood and sand onto the ground. He straightened, pain written clearly across his features as he tried to move back towards Gaara. But his strength, sapped by disease and battle finally gave out. Thus did Kimmimaro, last of the Kaguya Clan, perish.

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Naruto had little trouble in tracking Sasuke down, even with the Uchiha's head start. Whatever had happened to Sasuke in that barrel had stirred up that cursed seal of his, at least temporarily. The taint practically left a palpable trail through the forest. It didn't take long until Naruto was able to sense Sasuke's chakra signature, the amount of ground the traitor could cover simply didn't compare to what Naruto could do with Shitai no To-Remu. Naruto smirked; it was time to get the drop on his target.

Sasuke paused briefly as he reached the edge of a landscape known as the Valley of the End. He was staring out at the statue of his ancestor, Uchiha Madara. He'd been the first shinobi to ever defect from Konohagakure. He'd been portrayed as a villain in the history lessons taught at the academy, so unstable that even his own clan became wary of him. But maybe…maybe that wasn't true. Maybe the village had hindered Madara as well, held back the foremost of the Uchiha clan just as they had the last. Sasuke snorted in amusement as he leapt across the gap between the two statues. The Shodai had defeated Madara when he tried to leave, but Sasuke knew that there was no one left to stop him.

Thus was he caught completely by surprise when a loose rock at the edge of the statue went up in a puff of smoke, reavealing Naruto standing there. The young Araiki didn't even bother with is bloodline. He spun once and caught the Uchiha with a backhand strike before he had a chance to land, and far before he had a chance to react. Sasuke felt his breath leave him in a rush, his body folding around Naruto's fist before it was sent plummeting down to the lake below.

Naruto watched impassively as Sasuke splashed into the lake hundreds of feet below. He waited until the Uchiha surfaced, slowly crawling back atop the water before speaking. His voice range clearly across the distance between the two, yet remained calm and collected. And it still carried that same subtle, deadly threat that it had when he faced Kimmimaro. "You seem lost Sasuke, if you keep going that way you'll find yourself in Otagakure. You'll have to turn around to get to Konoha."

Sasuke found himself staring at Naruto's distance figure in disbelief. A slight tremor was present in his voice, shattering his usually stoic demeanor. "How did you get past him so quickly?"

Naruto smirked, and leapt off the statue. He landed atop the water in a low crouch, the ripples from the impact spreading across the lake. He straightened, flashing Sasuke a positively frightening grin. Sure Gaara had actually stepped in to handle Kimmimaro for him, but Sasuke didn't need to know that. "You should know, that no slime who would ever crawl to that twisted madman and call him Master would ever be able to defeat me."

Sasuke closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to center himself while trying to ignore the blatant insinuation in Naruto's last statement. Then he straightened to face Naruto once more, the Sharingan spinning in his eyes. "No, I need the power he offers so I can kill my brother and avenge my clan. I won't let you stop me."

"You seem to be under the mistaken impression that you have a say in the matter." Sasuke burst into motion as Naruto spoke, Sharingan spinning as he bore down on the Kumo-nin. What surprised Sasuke was that Naruto stayed so still, and showed no intention of moving until it was far too late to dodge his strike. Or so he thought. Naruto had taken a position of perfect balance, weight evenly distributed and ready to shift in any direction. Then he waited patiently, not moving until he knew that Sasuke was fully committed to his attack. Only then, did Naruto act.

He bent backwards slightly, entering a sudden spin. Sasuke could scarcely believe what his precious Sharingan was showing him, even as his fist passed through empty air. He saw Naruto's foot rising from the surface of the water, chambering in preparation to lash out. But he was fully committed with his momentum, and there was no way he could dodge. Naruto's foot caught the Uchiha in the side of the ribs, connecting with considerable force and sending the young Konoha-nin skipping across the surface of the lake.

Naruto paused for a moment, holding his foot in the air before slowly lowering it to the surface of the water. "That Sharingan of yours is a powerful tool. It allows you to see any movement, even before it's made. But you're not fast enough for it to be of enough use on me. Even without the aid of my own kekkai genkai I can start to act after you've committed yourself to your attack. You'll never be able to defeat me like that."

Sasuke glared at him, flashing through a set of hand seals as the markings of his cursed seal began spreading across his skin. He grabbed his wrist in one hand, lightning chakra gathering in his palm. He charged forward with a cry, "Chidori!" Naruto arched an eyebrow, that was a bit more interesting. The first level of Sasuke's seal did increase his speed substantially, and the Chidori was one of the more potent short-range attack jutsu in existence. Still, mused Naruto as he activated his own bloodline, he was hardly ill-equipped to deal with such a situation.

Mantoru no To-Remu flared to life as Sasuke closed the distance. And an instant before impact it was recomposed into countless tiny blades of wind. Sasuke's Chidori fizzled as it met Naruto's defense, the lightning chakra that powered it easily overwhelmed by the wind chakra sustaining Naruto's technique. Naruto's chest was hit by a mere palm thrust, one that could be shrugged off with little effort. Instead he used it to add momentum to another spin. His Chikara no To-Remu activated in the middle of his spin, and his backhand strike landed in the center of Sasuke's chest with crushing force.

This time Sasuke clearly heard something snap as he cannoned backwards once more. He skipped quite a distance across the surface of the lake before coming to a stop. Then he climbed back to his feet, wheezing slightly as he clutched his bleeding hand. His face contorted into a grimace as he wiggled his fingers, checking out his range of motion.

"Interesting," Naruto muttered, "You can still move your hand. That Chidori must have protected it from the worst of my wind blades." Sasuke just grimaced as he held his hand. This couldn't be happening, it just couldn't. He needed to make it past here, to make it to Orochimaru's side, to gain the power he needed. Then it hit him. The power he'd just recently gained from Orochimaru, this was what it was for. He started chuckling, his expression taking a sinister turn even as the transformation began.

The markings covering his skin expanded, turning it to a uniform sickly-gray color. His hair lengthened, turning white as it crept downwards. There was a tearing sound as a pair of hand-like wings grew from his back. But most of all, he could feel the strength that flooded his body. This was power! This was what Orochimaru offered him, and this was why he'd train under the Sannin at any cost. His twisted grin grew as he gazed at Naruto with his Sharingan eyes. He laughed , "You see, this…this is why I must go to Orochimaru. Look at the power he offers!"

Naruto shook his head slightly, "It would appear to me that you're looking for shortcuts. But there's something you should realize. There's a reason that a shortcut is considered to be such, because most people are smart enough not to take take them. Otherwise they'd just be the way it's done." Then Sasuke charged forward, and the two met with a breathtaking display of taijutsu.

Naruto still had the edge in speed, but it was heavily mitigated by the predictive capabilities of Sasuke's Sharingan. So the two fought on even footing for several minutes. Then Naruto drove Sasuke back with a flurry of vicious strikes, seizing the opportunity to leap back and gain a brief respite. He eyed Sasuke warily as he considered his options.

Taijutsu combat was dangerous now, Sasuke's Sharingan might actually enable him to do some damage. That and he had no desire to showcase any more of his style to Sasuke than necessary in order to prevent him from copying it. He was pretty sure he could outgun the Uchiha with jutsu, but this close to Oto it would be best to conserve his chakra in case Orochimaru sent any other surprises their way. Besides, he didn't want to give the Uchiha a chance to copy any of those either. There was To-Remu Konjou: Gonge, but one big enough to ensure victory would also be a significant expenditure of chakra. That and it might draw unwanted attention. It was then he remembered one of the most widespread proverbs of his home; never throw a lightning bolt when a kunai will suffice.

"That predictive ability of your Sharingan is quite the useful ability. But it's hardly the only way to figure out what's going to happen. You see, I've gotten a pretty good insight into your fighting style. And I have a firm grasp of your speed too. I can tell you what's going to happen. I'm going to charge, throw a roundhouse punch at your head. You'll consider ducking, but won't have the time you need. So instead you'll block, and then I'm going to throw a kick at your chest…" What followed was a detailed description of a complicated battle by Naruto, with Sasuke looking on with obvious skepticism. Then Naruto began reaching the end of his speech, "Then you'll be pinned against that rock wall over there, my claws poised to tear open your throat if necessary. And you'll realize…"

Naruto paused for a moment, and then surged into an all out charge. Sasuke smirked as he measured his foe's approach. Naruto was mistaken, badly. Sasuke had plenty of time to duck, and that's just what he did. He waited until the last possible second. Then he bent over sharply at the waist, smashing his face right into the knee Naruto brought up with a vicious savagery. The force of the blow snapped him back upright, and Naruto wasted little time in burying a fist deep into Sasuke's got. The Uchiha wretched, reflexively starting to double over before Naruto grabbed him by the shirt. The Araiki spun around, and slammed Sasuke's back into the stone wall of the valley. His claws were in place in the blink of an eye, their keen edges resting on Sasuke's fluttering jugular.

"And then you'll realize," Naruto continued as though nothing had happened, "that a ninja's greatest tool is deception. Now, if you're smart you'll deactivate that seal of yours and I'll knock you unconscious. If not, well," Naruto shrugged, "I've never really liked you and I despise traitors. I won't have any qualms when it comes to tearing your throat open. So it's your move, but," his claws tapped against Sasuke's neck in warning, "make it fast."

Then Naruto felt a stunning impact to the side of his head. His grip on Sasuke instinctively slackened and it was his turn to be sent skipping across the water's surface. He managed to roll back to his feet, eyeing the new figure standing beside Sasuke warily. "Who in Kami's name are you?"

The figure stood still for a few moments, sizing him up before responding. "I am known as Zetsu."

**Translations:**

**To-Remu Konjou: Gonge - Translates to Totem Spirit: Incarnate. This is the third stage of To-Remu Yajuuki, where the bearer creates an avatar out of his chakra and allows his/her totem to manifest in the physical world. The size and power varies with the amount of chakra put into the technique; from something barely noticeable to an avatar the size of a boss summon. It is without a doubt a powerful technique, though a difficult one to master.**

**Shitai no To-Remu - Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Chikara no To-Remu - Translates to Might of the Totem. This technique greatly increases the strength of its user.**

**Kage Kubi Shibari no Jutsu – Translates to Shadow Strangulation Jutsu.**

**Yubisaki Tama –Translates to fingertip bullets.**


	26. Chapter 25: Proposals

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Sasuke was the next to speak, backing away from the new arrival as he eyed him warily. He was definitely a unique figure; with those leaf-like protrusions on his shoulders, dual-toned skin, and that cloak. "What are you doing here?"

Zetsu turned, fixing Sasuke with what seemed to be an almost bored stare. "If you're as smart as we've been lead to believe, _you'd take this chance and run._" That caught the attention of both Naruto and Sasuke. That odd dual toned voice; it was as if there were two different people in that body. Of course, given that split between white and black down the middle of his face neither young shinobi would rule that out as a possibility. Then Sasuke snapped out of it, took Zetsu's advice, and fled up the valley's walls. Naruto growled, giving chase immediately. Zetsu interposed himself between the two, naturally. Naruto simply waited until he got close, then activated Shitai no To-Remu with every intent of blowing right by the startled plant-like shinobi. It was a tactic that had served him well several times, but he'd never tried it against a foe of the caliber he was now facing.

Zetsu's hand snapped out, grabbing Naruto's wrist as the young Kumo-nin sped by. A quick twist, bob, and spin had Naruto flying back towards the middle of the lake. He allowed himself a brief moment to marvel at the throw that had been used before bursting into action once more. A few quick hand signs and a trio of Mizu Bunshin joined him on the surface of the lake. All four Naruto hurled a kunai at their opponent, splitting into a pincer movement as they charged into the fray.

Zetsu avoided the quartet of kunai with ease, letting them slice into the water behind him. Then it was time to face the four Narutos. He blocked a strike from the first one to approach from the left, then spun to the right and disabled one running through the seals for Suirou no Jutsu with a sharp punch to the gut. The next Naruto to come at him was thrown, tossed into another water clone which resulted in both of them being dispelled. Then he grabbed the real Naruto, twisting him down to surface of the lake and pinning him in place. Only then did he see something that worried him. Naruto was smiling.

There was a sudden explosion of water behind the two as a fourth Mizu Bunshin erupted forth from the depths of the lake. Zetsu let go of the real Naruto in an instant, moving towards the Mizu Bunshin. But he was too far away. "Hey, traitor." And with that shout, Naruto's clone flung the kunai he was holding. Sasuke instinctively turned to look back towards the clone. And since his Sharingan was still active he could see everything in perfect clarity. He saw the Kunai fly through the air, passing within inches of his face. But more importantly he saw the explosive tag wrapped around the handle, saw it sizzling, and saw it explode. Then he saw only darkness.

Zetsu dispelled the latest clone with a sharp blow to his torso, then reached up and caught Naruto by the ankle as the Kumo-nin attempted to leap over him. Another subtle motion of his body sent Naruto flying back to the center of the lake. Naruto growled in the back of his throat as he climbed back to his feet. Sasuke was still alive and moving, so his kunai hadn't killed him. He could only hope to have wounded the Uchiha though, as he was clearly outmatched by the opponent in front of him. He wouldn't get another attack off against the traitorous shinobi, probably wouldn't be able to get another attack off period if he was foolish enough to try. So he settled for fixing the new arrival with a steady stare. "Orochimaru seems to be sending all his stooges out for this one."

"We aren't loyal to Orochimaru, _we hate that snake._"

"Then why are you letting Sasuke get away?"

Zetsu paused for a few moments, making sure that Sasuke was out of ear shot before replying. "_Our leader believes that Orochimaru's ambitions will lead to his downfall in this instance._ Besides, Sasuke is of secondary interest to us here."

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly, "So what's your primary interest then?"

"You are, we belong to an organization called Akatsuki. _Who has been watching you for quite some time._"

"I'm flattered," Naruto muttered dryly.

"Our organization," Zetsu went on as though he hadn't been interrupted, "currently has nine members, _and we are rather selective in regard to new recruits. But you, and your girlfriend, have intrigued us._ Akatsuki seeks to bring peace to the world, peace from the wars that the powers of the shinobi nations have brought to it. Your bloodline, and your past with tailed beasts could be of great help in this noble endeavor."

"What does my past with the Kyuubi have anything to do with this?"

"We are gathering the nine bijuu; _there power is essential for our goals._"

Megurushi no To-Remu flared back to life as Naruto took a reflexive step backwards. "Use the bijuu for peace? No good can come from trying to tame them! They're the raw power of the natural order given form. They'll hate being bent to someone's will as much as the people of the Elemental Nations hate anyone who uses their power. Or have you not heard of the way Jinchuuriki have been treated since their creation?"

"_You're missing the bigger picture._ We seek to bring an era of peace, an end to war."

"The bijuu do not bring peace! They represent the chaos of this world, its raw destructive potential. Jinchuuriki…creating them is an evil that circumstances sometimes deem necessary. It can be the only way to stop those beasts. Anything else, to try to tamper with those powers any further is madness. Nothing good can ever come out of it!"

"_You're missing-_"

"No. I'm not. I'm not your average shinobi, only knowing the basics about the bijuu. I've been a Jinchuuriki, so has Yugito. We've delved as deeply into the lore surrounding those beasts as anyone in Kumo. They can be subdued, they can be controlled. But only for a time. One slip up, one mistake, one tiny detail overlooked is all it takes. Then the beast can break free, and all hell breaks loose. Best case scenario the beast can be resealed. But when your experiment blows up in your face, you're going to have multiple bijuu running rampant. Senju Hashirama wouldn't even be able to help you, and I have no intention of being anywhere nearby when it happens. So you can take your offer and shove it, I'm not interested."

"That's unfortunate, _but our instructions were to take you by force if necessary._" But Naruto had already assumed what Zetsu was going to say, and he was already moving. The extra speed granted to his limbs by Shitai no To-Remu may have robbed him of the precise body control necessary in taijutsu fights, but it provided unparalleled assistance when one simply needed to cover ground. And he'd started a significant distance from Zetsu. Naruto was certain that he'd be able to get back to the safety of the forest. And once there he figured the enhanced chakra suppression granted by his bloodline would give him an excellent chance at avoiding detection. Well, that and as many Seiteki Bunshin as he could form.

But no one he'd ever been up against could have prepared him for Zetsu. Sure his mother may have been strong, perhaps capable of holding her own against an S-class shinobi. But her primary strength lay in genjutsu and she didn't have the physical capabilities that Zetsu did. Sure Orochimaru probably surpassed Zetsu physically, but the snake had only been toying with him in the forest of death. Fighting against someone who outclassed him so completely…it was something he'd never done before. And so he was completely surprised when Zetsu made it to the valley wall before him.

Naruto skidded to a halt, plumes of water thrown up by his feet. And then real worry began creeping in. He was outmatched, hopelessly so. He didn't stand a prayer against Zetsu in single combat, couldn't run from him, and he had a sinking feeling that even the avatar of his totem would prove useless in this situation. The cold reality was that Zetsu intended to take him, and there was nothing he could do about it. And nobody; not the Raikage, not the Hokage, not his mother, not Yugito-chan would have any idea what had happened to him or where he'd be. For perhaps the first time in his life Naruto felt fear, and he felt defeated.

But the fortunes of war can be changed in an instant, and Naruto heard something that suddenly filled him with renewed hope. There was the slight splash of a shinobi's footsteps as he ran across water, and the chirping of a thousand birds suddenly rang throughout the valley. Zetsu threw himself backwards, a fraction of a second ahead of Hatake Kakashi. And more importantly a fraction of a second in front of Kakashi's extended, lightning wreathed hand. Zetsu was close to the valley wall though, and it looked like the Chidori would run him through as son as he hit the wall. But instead he simply melted right into the rock, barely even slowing down. But Kakashi didn't slow down either, and his deadly technique cut through the rock with ease until he buried his arm into the cliff face up to the shoulder. Then he planted his other hand against the cliff face, pulling his arm free and taking a moment to notice that it was now coated in blood before turning to face the young Shinobi he had saved. "Naruto are you all right?"

Naruto let out a deep breath, obviously shaken by the events that had just occurred. "Yeah…I'm fine."

"Good. We need to get out of here, fast."

"But Kakashi-san; he ran from you, and you wounded him. Surely you could take him if he came back. And Sasuke can't be too far away."

Kakashi just shook his head, starting before Naruto even finished speaking. He fell back because I surprised him and got too close with a Chidori. I have little real understanding of his abilities. And besides, the information Jiraiya-sama has gathered on Akatsuki suggests that they travel in pairs. I might be able to defeat Zetsu, but if he has a partner with that same level of power I wouldn't stand a chance. You also have to remember how close we are to Oto now; we don't know what Orochimaru could throw at us now. You and your teammates put forth a remarkable effort, but we can't afford to chase after him anymore."

"But,"

"No. Those who abandon their comrades, traitors, are worse than scum. Sasuke is no longer worth the risk posed by retrieving him." He sighed, "It looks like Orochimaru will get the Sharingan after all."

"Maybe, I threw a kunai with an explosive note near his face right before he went off. I didn't manage to kill him, but the eyes are delicate organs after all."

"I see, let's go." And with that the two shinobi disappeared from view, fast on their way back to Konoha.

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It was late in the afternoon by the time Kakashi and Naruto made it back to Konoha. The Chuunin guards looked up as they saw the pair of shinobi approaching the gates, "Araiki-san, your teammate Gifu Meitoku was injured when he and Neji fought against Kidomaru. Hokage-sama said you'd want to know." Naruto nodded once, then disappeared with a crackle of static electricity.

Kakashi pulled his copy of Icha Icha from his pouch as he walked into Konoha. Tsunade was scheduled to be in surgery with Akimichi Chouji, so it should be a while before he had to meet with her. And if for some reason she got out early, well…he had a reputation to uphold.

Naruto reappeared in the main lobby of Konoha's hospital, the sunshin he had used not even fazing the populace of a shinobi village well used to such displays. He wasted little time in walking over the receptionist's desk, "I was told that one of my teammates was hospitalized after his fight."

"Ahh…yes. Gifu Meitoku is currently in room 724. His injuries are not considered life-threatening and Rin-san is currently performing surgery on him to ensure that his recovery is complete. I would like to remind you not to use a sunshin to traverse the hospital as the chakra fluctuations can disrupt the precise chakra control necessary for most workings by medical ninja."

Naruto was already moving up the stairs, waving his hand dismissively. "Yeah yeah, I know. It's not the first time I've been in a hospital." He took the stairs two at a time, quickly ascending to the seventh floor. He wasn't terribly surprised to see Yugito standing outside of the room Meitoku was being treated in. She had started her fighting shortly before him, so it only made since that she would have arrived in Konoha shortly before him too. And she'd obviously been directed to the hospital as well. "How is he?"

"Before she went in to operate Rin-san told me that he'd suffered extensive damage to the muscles of one of his upper legs, a few cracked ribs, and a mild concussion. So he's kind of beat up, but not nearly as bad as either of us after we fought Gaara. Speaking of gennin from Sunagakure though,"

"One of them stopped by your fight."

"How did you know?"

"Gaara met up with me and fought Kimmimaro so I could go after Sasuke."

"There was no Kimmimaro when we left…you better fill me in." So the two spent the next quarter of an hour or so catching the other up on what had happened since they split up. It was near the end of their conversation that the pair sensed someone approaching, someone who was easily recognizable by the traces of demonic chakra running through him. The couple turned to see Sabaku no Gaara walk around the corner.

Naruto moved instinctively, imposing himself between Yugito and Gaara as he eyed the Jinchuuriki warily. He'd been of assistance during the last mission sure, but he'd shown himself to be downright bloodthirsty in the past. Maybe he'd changed, but Naruto didn't know. And the thought of being with the insane and homicidal Gaara he'd seen during the Chuunin exams wasn't a pleasant one.

The three shinobi were still for a long moment, the wary gazes of the Kumo-nin meeting the impassive gaze of the Suna-nin. It was Gaara who finally broke the silence. "You seem wary of me."

"You almost cost Yugito-chan her life."

Gaara stared a bit longer, "I might have saved yours."

"I'd give my life for hers in an instant." There was another long pause before Naruto spoke again. "You did help me on that last mission. But it was just that, a mission. Shinobi can act much different on a mission than in their everyday lives. And from what I've known about you in your everyday life…I think I have every reason to be concerned."

"That's why I'm here. When I was fighting the two of you, after I defeated Yugito, you changed. You became more reckless, took more risks. You put your existence at even greater risk for someone else. It is…different, from everything I have known."

Naruto paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "You mentioned…that you grew up only, living only for yourself."

"Yes. My family feared me, my father tried to have me killed. The village, who I was intended to protect, despised me. So I had to find my own reason to fight, my own reason to exist. So I lived for myself, my purpose was to kill."

"That must have been a harsh existence."

"Yes."

Naruto sighed locking eyes with Gaara, "Well, you were right about one thing. A shinobi needs purpose. With all the death we face we need something to remind us to cling to life. But when your purpose is death…well, it's hardly an uplifting goal."

Gaara continued to stare at him. "I see. What is your purpose then, what do you fight for?"

Naruto didn't even hesitate for an instant in responding. "I fight to protect; Kumogakure, Kaa-san, Yugito-chan, everything and everyone I care about. I fight to protect them."

"These people you fight for…after Yugito fell you became much more effective in battle. It made me wonder if I was wrong, if my existence was flawed. No one had ever been able to match me in battle, and I believed that my strength came from my purpose. But I began to doubt that after you defeated me, and now I wonder if it's your desire to protect that made you stronger."

"In a way. Having people who are important to you, who you're willing to protect; it won't make you faster, won't make you stronger, won't increase your chakra reserves. It doesn't have any sort of quantifiable effect. But it does grant you resolve, give you a reason to fight. You've described your existence as living to kill, living for yourself. So in battle you had nothing to gain and everything to lose. If you value only yourself you risk losing all you care for in battle without possible gain. But me; I fight to aid my village, to protect those who are important to me. When I fight I have something to gain, and that grants me determination. I stay focused, I fight less conservatively, I fight better.

And the advantages aren't just limited to the battlefield either. I can't imagine what you've been through Gaara, and I shudder to imagine what it would have been like for me had history been just a little different. Because having people who love you, care for you, who are willing to be there for you…it has an importance I can't even begin to describe. **They** have an importance I can't even begin to describe."

Gaara nodded, "I think I understand."

Naruto strode forward, tentatively clapping Gaara on the shoulder and hiding his relief when no sand rose to block the motion. "No, you don't yet. But you've realized that it's the better path. Relationships will be built in time. It won't be easy, and it'll certainly be frustrating. In time, however, you'll manage. And then you'll understand what I'm talking about, and you'll be all the better off for it."

Gaara stood still for a moment, processing everything Naruto had said, "I see, thank you Araiki Naruto." Then he turned; walking down the hallway, turning the corner, and losing himself to sight.

Naruto felt Yugito's hands on his shoulders as Gaara vanished around the corner, spinning him around and pressing him against the wall before she leaned in to kiss him passionately. She broke away half a minute later, catching sight of the slightly confused look on his face. "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"

She burrowed into his chest, "For what you said, and how it reminds of everything I love about you." She glanced up at you, "Have I ever told you how lucky I am to have found you?"

"Usually you just tend to make a subtle jab about me being dense and you having to tell me we're going out on a date."

She huffed, her expression briefly flickering to one of annoyance. "You know, sometimes you can just ruin a moment."

"Umm…sorry?"

She rolled her eyes in exasperation, grabbing his head and pulling it down to hers. "Just shut up and kiss me."

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About a day after Naruto had entered Konoha once more a Konoha-nin entered Kumogakure. Normally the Konoha-nin would have encountered some difficulty. After all, relations between the two villages were still a little tense. But Jiraiya had always been a well-traveled man with a knack for obtaining information that no one else could. So when he told the gate guards that he had a document that was for the Raikage's eyes only they didn't put up too much of an argument.

Thus did Jiraiya find himself in a private audience with the Raikage within half an hour of his arrival in the village. Well it was private so long as you didn't count the quartet of ANBU standing guard in various concealed locations, but the Raikage had at least consented to a silencing jutsu that would keep the contents of the conversation between the two elder shinobi.

The Raikage was currently reclining in his chair, swathed in the robes of his office while his steady gaze remained fixed on Jiraiya from beneath the brim of his hat. "Well this is a surprise. How long has it been…six years?"

"Five I think, since that run-in near the southern border. No hard feelings I hope."

"Of course not, sometimes missions have to be carried out regardless of the circumstances. I must also admit to curiosity regarding your visit, and a hostile approach seems rather unlikely to make you more talkative. I'd even venture to say that it might even make you close-lipped."

Jiraiya reached into his vest, withdrawing a scroll. "There are two reasons for my visit. The first is to give you this."

The Raikage eyed the scroll as Jiraiya held it out. "That's a Konoha messenger scroll, meant for a Konoha shinobi."

"Yeah, it was sent to me. A messenger hawk should be on the way with yours right now, but I was closer to Konoha so I got mine first."

The Raikage arched an eyebrow, "Are you saying you traveled faster than a messenger hawk?"

Jiraiya snorted in amusement, "I'm not a sannin for nothing you know."

"I suppose…so what was so important that it couldn't wait for a messenger hawk to deliver it?"

"It's the details of what happened when your team assisted in the effort to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke, you should have already received the message about that."

"Indeed," the Raikage murmured as he opened the scroll. Then he spent a considerable amount of time reviewing its contents, making sure he went over every detail. "Hmm…seems we were quite lucky Hatake-san finished his mission early and managed to make it out to the valley. We likely would have lost Naruto if he hadn't." He set the scroll down on his desk, raising his head to stare Jiraiya in the eye. "But I do tire of you being coy with me. As much as this document may pertain to my village it's no reason for you to personally hand-deliver a copy to me, not when you know I'll have a copy of my own by tomorrow. Why are you really here?"

Jiraiya leaned back slightly in his chair. "As sharp as ever I see. Very well, I want to train Naruto."

"You already have."

"I'm not talking about sitting here for a month to teach him a new jutsu. I want to really train him, teach him as much as I possibly can. And I want to take him out of this village on a two year trip to do it."

"Let you take him out of the village for two years…I'm a bit wary of that option.

"What choice do you have?" He indicated the scroll on the desk, "Akatsuki wants him, and that group is composed entirely of S-rank nuke-nin. One of them already managed to track down Naruto, and if Kakashi hadn't been in the area he'd have disappeared without a trace. You've done a good job of training him here; he's one of the most powerful shinobi of his age group I've ever met. But he's not strong enough yet and he needs to get there, fast."

"That hardly explains why he needs to be taken out of the village for two years to train under one of Konoha's Sannin. I am, understandably, reluctant to allow him to wander the world for an extended period of time with a foreign shinobi. There are many powerful shinobi in this village that could train the boy."

"But not like I can, his strength comes from seals. You used a sealing ceremony to give him his kekkai genkai, and most of the abilities from that bloodline stem from the seals formed on his skin from Megurushi no To-Remu. With Minato dead I know more about seals than any other shinobi alive, given a chance to study those seals I can probably discern things that no on else can."

"But you may just want to see those seals so Konoha can perform the ritual itself."

"With what two young Jinchuuriki?"

"I suppose you have a point."

"Besides, if Naruto stays here for those two years and is based out of Kumo it's only a matter of time until Akatsuki comes looking for him. With the kind of power they have available an attack on the village itself isn't entirely out of the question, and their intelligence network would likely allow them to ambush him outside of Kumo. If Akatsuki comes after Naruto when he's with me I can drop off the face of the earth, they'd never be able to find the two of us."

"I know, and that knack you have for disappearing also leaves me mildly concerned. I'll consider it. But…you'd have to take Yugito with you as well. She'll face the same dangers as Naruto will."

Jiraiya nodded, "I can accept those terms."

"Good." The Raikage walked over to a shelf against the far wall, withdrawing three large scrolls from it. "In the meantime I will allow you to review the seals you mentioned earlier. The black scroll contains details on the ritual while the blue and orange scrolls contain diagrams of the seals on Naruto and Yugito respectively." He sealed the three scrolls into a storage scroll before handing it over to Jiraiya."

"Thank you Raikage-dono. I can only hope you make the right choice."

"I'll keep that in mind Jiraiya, you are dismissed." The Sannin inclined his head respectfully, then vanished in a swirl of smoke and leaves. The Raikage sat back down at his desk, withdrawing a scroll and writing implements. He spent several minutes writing, scanning the document once he was done to ensure that he was satisfied. Then, after making sure the ink was dry, he rolled it up and applied several seals to the outside. That done he leaned back in his chair and released the silencing jutsu he'd put up earlier. "Saru."

A monkey-masked ANBU appeared almost instantly, kneeling on the floor in front of his desk. "Here, Raikage-sama."

The Raikage tapped the name of the recipient on the outer edge of the scroll. "I need you to deliver this for me. Make sure no one but you touches it except the recipient and that it's not opened until after delivery."

"Hai, Raikage-sama!"

"Dismissed." The Raikage smiled to himself as he swiveled around in his chair to overlook the village. If nothing else, Naruto and Yugito were certainly going to have an interesting two years ahead of them.

**Author's Note****: This chapter was a relief to write, it finally gave me a chance to write something other than fight scenes. And as fun as those can be to write they can get a bit draining after a while. The next chapter will be the last before the time skip, which has a bit of a twist to it I think you'll all enjoy. The Raikage does have something in mind after all. I would like to remind you all though, that the current Raikage is not the same man who was shown in the manga. Those chapters happened to come out after I published this story.**

**It has been nice to watch the number of hits my story accumulates increase recently, it's extremely gratifying to watch it grow in popularity. Reviews, however, seem to have decreased a bit. Authors love receiving reviews. Personally, a new review probably excites me more than an update to the stories I follow. I also read every one, and appreciate the vast majority of them. The rare exceptions are, of course, flames. So please, keep the reviews coming.**

**Translations:**

**Megurushi no To-Remu:- Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Shitai no To-Remu - Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Suiton Suirou no Jutsu - Translates to Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu.**

**Seiteki Bunshin – Translates to Static Clone. The shinobi forms a solid clone out of static forces. The clone discharges a slight burst of electricity upon being dispelled, if enough of them are dispelled in rapid succession the build up of shocks can cause temporary numbness.**


	27. Chapter 26: Departures

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

As soon as they were all healthy enough for it Tsunade called all of the shinobi sent out to retrieve Sasuke to her office for a report. No one was in danger any more, though a few did look decidedly worse for the wear. Chouji was noticeably thinner, apparently not yet having restored the bulk he'd lost to the self-consumptive pill he'd taken. Neji and Meitoku each sported bandages over the wounds they'd taken, and neither of them were yet able to move with the ease to which they were accustomed. Shikamaru's broken finger was splinted, but he was otherwise fine. No one else had suffered serious injury. Tsunade was thankful for that, and well aware that it was due largely to the assistance provided by Suna and Kumo.

She leaned back in her chair as Naruto and Kakashi wrapped up their account of the close encounter with the Akatsuki member. "Unfortunate, if it wasn't for Zetsu's interference the mission may have succeeded. Naruto, you said you had an exploding note go off close to Sasuke's face?"

He nodded slightly, "Yeah."

"How much damage did it inflict on his eyes?"

"I'm not sure. Zetsu tossed me back to the center of that lake before I could get a good look at him. I know he was caught in the blast but aside from that I can't tell you much."

"Hmm…if only Orochimaru didn't have such a powerful medic-nin serving him. We'll just have to hope that Orochimaru does not have the Sharingan. There's nothing we can do about it now." She opened a drawer in her desk, withdrawing ten envelopes. "For your participation in this mission you'll all receive payment for an A-rank mission."

Meitoku frowned, "But the mission was unsuccessful, Sasuke managed to escape to Orochimaru."

"I can't fault you for that. Zetsu's interference meant you were in far over your heads. And the mission was to ensure that Orochimaru didn't get the Sharingan, something that Naruto may have succeeded in doing. And accomplishing that much against an S-class nuke-nin is impressive. Besides, I can't send foreign shinobi on such a dangerous mission without paying them."

Naruto sighed as he collected his check, "Politics…not that I'm about to complain in this instance."

"Hokage-dono," eyes turned to Meitoku as he spoke for the first time since he had finished giving his account of the fight against Kidomaru, "How long will it be until I am fit for travel? I am looking forward to returning to Kumogakure after such a long absence, and I am sure my team shares my sentiments."

Tsunade laced her fingers together, peering over them as she regarded the various gennin arrayed in front of her. "You may not have the healing factor of some of your teammates, but Rin did a pretty good job of treating you. You should be ready to travel by tomorrow afternoon. Many in the village will be sad to see you go though."

"Many in Kumogakure will be happy to see us return, and that village is our home after all." Naruto and Yugito could only nod in agreement. Meitoku had put it perfectly.

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In Otogakure Sasuke was not in nearly as good a mood. He was currently lying on an operating table, bandages wrapped around his face and eyes. Kabuto was nearby, cleaning off his instruments after completing his operation on Sasuke. "Well?"

The medic turned to face Orochimaru, his master's freshly seized body wrapped from head to toe in bandages. "Sasuke's eyes and face received significant damage from the exploding note. The cornea was especially damaged, and received some moderate scarring as well as a few light burns. I've transplanted corneas from one of the prisoners, but such operations are tricky even for one of my skills. It will take time to determine whether I have been able to prevent Sasuke's blindness. Even if he can see again I will need to observe him to ensure that the new cornea doesn't adversely affect Sasuke's Sharingan."

"I see. The Sound Five is fortunate to have died on their mission. They would have suffered much more had they answered to me for this failure."

Kabuto adjusted his glasses, "You do not know how much they suffered before they died, Orochimaru-sama."

"No death in battle could be less painful than what I am able to inflict."

"Of course Orochimaru-sama."

"I'm going to kill him." Both of the elder shinobi turned to look at Sasuke, who had just uttered his first words since the operation began three hours ago.

It was Kabuto who responded, "Kill who Sasuke-san?"

The young Uchiha growled low in the back of his throat. "Naruto, who else? He tried to blind me."

Kabuto chuckled, "You can hardly blame him, what did you intend to do with that Chidori of yours?"

"Enough, Kabuto, there is no use in antagonizing him. And I do not want either of the Araikis dead. There bloodline is intriguing, and I desire to study it at the very least."

"Then I will fight him and defeat him. He'll be a stepping stone to obtaining the power necessary to defeat Itachi."

Orochimaru smirked beneath his bandages, "Good…you haven't lost your drive, your desire for vengeance."

"Yes, and you better fulfill your promises."

"Ku ku ku…don't worry Sasuke. I will be able to make you stronger than you can imagine."

"Good."

Orochimaru regarded Sasuke carefully, then turned and walked to the door. "Come Kabuto, we have much to discuss."

The two shinobi exited the room, leaving Sasuke alone to rest. Kabuto walked down the corridor a short distance, making sure he was outside of Sasuke's hearing range before speaking. "Sasuke-san says the shinobi that intervened at the Valley of the End was wearing a black cloak with red clouds." He paused for a moment, looking Orochimaru in the eye. "It matches the description of those worn by your former compatriots."

"Yes…" the word was drawn out, sounding as much like a hiss as anything. "That was Zetsu, he's Akatsuki's greatest spy."

Kabuto frowned, "I thought that was Sasori's purpose in the organization."

"Ku ku ku…Sasori uses seals to make sleeper agents which he uses to gain information. He never gathers his information directly. Zetsu does, his talents are uniquely suited to it. I wish there was another with those abilities…studying them would be a most welcome opportunity."

Kabuto frowned as he continued walking down the hall, "But why would Akatsuki stop Naruto from preventing you from obtaining the Sharingan. They've moved in opposition to you ever since your defection, and it's a move Itachi surely would have opposed."

"I doubt Itachi-kun knows of Zetsu's interference. Pein wanted to know everything his subordinates were doing but was rather secretive himself."

"But why would Akatsuki want to help you?"

"They wouldn't. They're obviously planning something."

"Doesn't that concern you?"

"Ku ku ku…this plan seems to hinge upon a rookie gennin. I'll be sure to limit what I teach Sasuke-kun, he won't be a threat to me."

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It was with great relief that Team Four set eyes upon Kumogakure once more. They stood on the mountain path for a few moments, taking in the familiar sights. Kumo's great wall, surrounding the numerous stone buildings that made up it's interior. The Raikage's Tower stood strong, the spire defying the elements as it had since the villages inception. And the Raikage Monument could just be seen, sunlight refracting through the stained-glass dome in what must have been a dazzling display to those down below. It was Meitoku who broke the silence, "We should continue onwards, it appears that a storm will be hitting later in the day."

Naruto adjusted the way his pack rode on his back as he strode forward, "A storm hits at some point during just about every day. But I am looking forward to getting back home. We spent far too much time in Konoha."

"You should get used to being away from Kumogakure for long stretches," said Akana, "as you advance in rank and skill you'll be assigned more and more missions that require an extended absence."

"Doesn't mean we have to like it," Yugito muttered as Megurushi no To-Remu appeared on her skin, "just that we have to get used to it. And I, for one, think it's time to hasten our arrival as much as possible." She glanced over at Naruto, "If I beat you back to Kumo you're treating me to my favorite restaurant tonight."

He eyed her warily, also activating his bloodline. "But that's the most expensive place in the village…"

She smirked, "Then you might want to hurry." Then the two were gone, Shitai no To-Remu shimmering around their limbs as they sped down the mountain paths to their home.

Meitoku shook his head, "The most powerful shinobi of their age in all of Kumogakure, and they still behave like children sometimes."

"Oh, let them have their fun. Relaxing with those you care about is one of the things that helps people stay sane in this line of work." Akana and Meitoku proceeded to take the path at a more leisurely pace, reaching the village walls well after the two young Araikis did. Akana glanced over at the two for a second before speaking, "Well, who won?"

Yugito huffed in annoyance, "Your son threw me off the path."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "What she's forgetting to tell you is that she tried to trip me while we were running down the path. I avoided it and the resultant positioning set me up well for one of the simpler throws we know. So I decided that if she was going to try to slow me up I could do the same."

"You threw me off the path."

"You have a twig stuck in your hair."

She scowled as she pulled it free, "That's your fault."

Akana rolled her eyes. "You're arguing for the sake of arguing. Let's just get back into the village." The two Araikis climbed back to their feet as the team started walking around the village's walls. The village's main gate was located on the far side of the village from the path, in order to make things more difficult in case of invasion. It was a minor deterrent sure, but the builders of Kumo had been smart enough to seize every advantage they could while building the village.

When they did reach the gates they were waved in without much trouble, though the guards did congratulate both Naruto and Yugito on their promotions. The team split ways after entering the village proper, each heading to their respective homes. One could get pretty dirty over the course of several days of hard travel, and each of them was looking forward to washing off the grime they'd accumulated over the course of their journey.

Naruto hit the shower as soon as he got home, luxuriating in the warm water as he cleaned himself off. Then he used the water from the shower in conjunction with a simple Suiton Jutsu to clean his vest. Now that he was back in the village he'd have to pick up a few extras, and get them embroidered to match his current one. Until then, he supposed he'd just have to keep cleaning the one he had. He frowned slightly as he felt an unfamiliar chakra signature appear outside his bathroom door. He slid a kunai out of his pouch, concealing it within his towel as he dried his hair and stuck his head out the door.

He blinked as he found himself face to face with the stylized panther mask of the ANBU waiting outside his door. "Araiki-san, Raikage-sama has requested your presence in his office. Though I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you finished bathing."

"Umm…I'm almost done. It should only take a few more minutes."

"Very well, I will inform Raikage-sama." And in a crackle of static he was gone.

Naruto sighed as he ducked back into the bathroom and finished dressing himself. He'd figured that the Raikage would want to speak to him and his team, but had been hoping they'd have a little bit before the Raikage would have enough time to meet with them. He concentrated briefly after he was finished, noting that Akana was no longer in the house, she must have already left. Tying his hitaite back into place, he walked out the door on his way to the Raikage's tower.

He paid a bit more attention as he walked through the streets this time, noting the reactions he got from the people on the streets. The admiration of the people here was much more guarded and respectful than it had been in Konoha, but that had always been the case here. What he was looking for was how they treated him now that they'd had a bit of time to adjust to the news of his patronage. And truth be told, he didn't see much of a difference anymore. Reactions had been varied, and in some cases violent, soon after the news had reached Kumo. But it seemed as though the villagers had settled down since then, and that things were now returning to the status quo. He smiled; it was good to be back home.

He was ushered to the top floor of the Raikage's tower almost as soon as he arrived. When he reached the Raikage's office his secretary asked him to wait outside, where Akana was also taking a seat. He settled down next to her. "Are we waiting for Meitoku and Yugito?"

"Just Yugito, Meitoku won't be coming."

"Who told you that?"

"No one, at least not in words. But I didn't survive this long by not being able to read body language and facial expressions."

Naruto frowned, "Why isn't Meitoku coming. You think the Raikage would want him here for the mission report."

"I don't think we're giving a report of our time in Konoha. And as to why Meitoku isn't coming…I haven't the faintest idea. The Raikage's secretary can hide some things."

Said secretary raised her head and shot Akana an annoyed glare, "Your endorsement is oh so appreciated."

Akana smiled brightly, ignoring the dry sarcasm in her voice. "You're welcome."

It took another fifteen minutes for Yugito to arrive. The two Kumo-nin already waiting passed the time in boredom. After a couple days traveling together they didn't have much to talk about so soon after their return. When Yugito finally did arrive Naruto shot her a mildly annoyed glance. "What took you so long?"

"The ANBU said I could finish bathing and freshening up."

Naruto sighed, "You realize that's just the Raikage being polite right? When an ANBU tells you the Raikage would like to meet with you he usually means immediately, or close to it."

She shrugged, "I was told I could finish making myself presentable."

He sighed, then glanced over at the secretary. "Can we go inside now?"

"Yes, the Raikage said that once you were all here you could enter."

Akana grabbed hold of Naruto's shoulder to prevent his initial movement towards the door. "Team Leader goes first Naruto."

Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly. "I've never heard that rule before…"

"Hmm…it's as if I'm just stalling you a bit longer for no better reason to annoy you a little bit."

Naruto rolled his eyes and shrugged her hand off his shoulder, walking through the double doors into the Raikage's office. Like any good shinobi, he took all the room's obvious features in at a glance. The one that surprised him was Jiraiya lounging casually on one of the couches pressed up against the walls at the side of the room. "Ero-sennin, what are you doing here?"

Jiraiya sat bolt upright, "How many times have I told you not to call me that gaki!?"

Akana walked in after Yugito, closing the door behind her. "Well, if the glove fits…"

Jiraiya shot her a dry glance, "I see where he gets it from."

She smirked, "I've done my best. My son does raise a good question though, what _are_ you doing here?"

He forced a smile, and the assembled shinobi sensed a hint of nervousness as he looked at Akana. "Well, I'm taking Naruto and Yugito on a training trip for two years or so."

Reactions were slightly varied. Mild surprise by the stationed ANBU who had seen Jiraiya in his previous talk with the Raikage, shock from the two Araikis, and a subtle undercurrent of anger from Akana who took a half step forward. "What was that?"

Jiraiya swallowed hard, then glanced over at the Raikage. "A little help here?"

He shrugged, "This was your idea."

"Well…Zetsu's interference showed that Akatsuki is actively trying to recruit Yugito and Naruto. So they need to get stronger."

"Are you implying that my lessons are inadequate?"

He sighed, "You specialize in genjutsu, not the nin and taijutsu they seem to favor. I can analyze the seals of their Kekkai Genkai too, probably better than anybody else. And they need to be able to disappear off the face of the Earth if Akatsuki comes after them. They can't do that in Kumo, they can if they're with me."

"Oh, being able to disappear with my students…one of whom is my son. That certainly reassures me." She spun to face the Raikage, "I can't even believe you're allowing this. Letting them wander the Elemental Countries for two years with just a foreign shinobi."

The Raikage leaned back in his chair, looking out at Akana from under the brim of his hat. "I'm not."

"What?"

"What?"

"What!" Jiraiya rose to his feet in indignation. "But you said,"

The Raikage cut him off, "I said, that you could take the two on a two year training trip. I never said I was letting you go with them alone."

Akana nodded, "Ahh…so you're sending me with them."

"No, actually, I need you here."

She frowned, "Then who are,"

She was cut short as the doors behind her flew open with perfect timing, slamming into the walls with a resounding boom. "An ANBU came to Unraikyo with mask of monkey, said the Raikage was looking for me. So allow me to present…Kirabi!" There were several seconds of stunned silence as the occupants in the room took in the newcomer's appearance. He was an imposing figure, tall and heavily muscled. His dark skin contrasted sharply with the Kumo shinobi vest he wore. The bracers on his forearms were of a similar color to the vest, and seven swords were strapped across his back. No one could deny that he made an impressive figure, though his arrival was somewhat undercut by his (poor) rhymes.

The silence was eventually broken by Akana. "You have got to be kidding me. What are you trying to do, turn my son into a perverted wannabe-rapper?"

"Hey! My rhymes are hardly bad, my rapping skills are mad."

Akana rolled here eyes. "I rest my case."

Kirabi was about to retort when the Raikage cut in. "You two can argue about speech patterns later. We have more important things to discuss at the moment." He shifted slightly, fixing Akana with his gaze. "You seem to have reservations about this trip."

"Reservations would be an understatement! Even if you let," she motioned towards Kirabi, "him go along you're still sending my son away for two years. Do you really expect me to agree with this?"

"Your concern is touching," Yugito muttered dryly.

Akana's features softened instantly. "I wouldn't want you to leave either, Yugito. This situation is just…"

"Overwhelming," said the Raikage, "I know. But Jiraiya's right. With a group like Akatsuki showing an interest in them steps have to be taken in order to ensure their safety. I understand that you may not like this choice, but I have determined that it is the best option…for the village, for Yugito, and your son."

"But,"

"Akana," she flinched at his tone despite herself. It was sharper than any he'd used on her in a long time, since her days as his gennin student. "You may not particularly like this situation, but my decision is made and it is final." His voice softened, "I know this will be hard on you, but I made the choice for their sakes."

Akana actually lowered her eyes at that, a bit chastised. She sighed before responding, "Yes Raikage-sama…I understand." Then her entire demeanor changed. She spun around and fire flashed in her eyes as she jabbed her finger at Jiraiya, "But you," she spun to face Kirabi, "and you…if my son comes back as some perverted wannabe-rapper I swear I'll castrate you and use the pieces to muffle your screams as I rip out your tongues."

Jiraiya took half a step backwards, his hands rising defensively in front of him. Kirabi merely frowned, "There you go dissin' my rhymes,"

Akana simply glared at Kirabi, who wisely shut up. The Raikage added his stare as well, "I'm sure these two renowned shinobi will be able to curb their vices around their young charges. Isn't that right?"

The two shinobi exchanged quick glances. Neither of them, despite their own considerable power, were willing to attempt to defend their precious habits here. Instead they merely nodded before speaking in unison, "Hai, Raikage-dono/sama."

"Good, you'll be living in tomorrow at 8 a.m. Dismissed."

Naruto, Yugito, and Akana headed out immediately. Jiraiya and Kirabi stayed put, and it was fairly easy to tell that both wished to speak with the Raikage. The three held their tongues for several minutes, waiting for the trio to pass well out of auditory range. Jiraiya was the first to speak, "You never said anything about sending another shinobi on the trip."

"I never said anything about sending you alone either, it's not a risk I'm willing to take. I want one of my own shinobi to be there as well. Besides, you're the one who told me that Akatsuki members usually travel in pairs. Neither Naruto nor Yugito can stand against an S-class nin now, but Kirabi can. And you might need him. If Naruto's safety is truly your priority you'll travel with him, otherwise I'll send them out with just Kirabi instead."

Jiraiya frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"

"There are a lot of reasons for my actions, few of which I care to disclose. So…are you still going to train them or not?"

Jiraiya nodded tersely, "Yes." And then he was gone in a swirl of smoke and leaves.

The Raikage turned to face Kirabi, "I can probably guess what you're still here about."

Kirabi crossed his arms over his chest, dropping his rhymes in a rare moment of seriousness. "I already have students."

"I know."

"I've had them since they were gennin."

"Yes, I know. How long as it been, five years?"

"Yes."

They're more than ready for the jounin exams, have been for over a year. You've done a wonderful job, and have every right to be proud of them. But it's time for them to move on. You told me yourself, they've mastered all you can teach them…that they won't be able to utilize kenjutsu in the same manner as you do.

Yugito and Naruto, however, may be uniquely suited to it. If Jiraiya's suspicions about their capabilities are correct they may well be able to surpass you in it. And I want them to learn how to subdue bijuu with their bloodline, if that's possible for them. You're the only jinchuuriki we have. But above all else, I need someone I can trust completely. And the shinobi available to me I can trust unconditionally are all too few. Even fewer are the ones powerful enough to assist Jiraiya should he need it, and all but one of them I need in Kumo. I need you to do this for me."

The two stood there for a long few moments, until Kirabi eventually nodded. "I see," then he turned and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"The Killer Bee's got one last night on the town, you know things are going down."

The Raikage sighed, leaning back in his chair and calling after the muscled figure. "Remember, 8:00 in the morning. Try not to be hungover."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto returned home with Akana; where instead of unpacking like he'd planned he instead found himself packing even more of his possessions in preparation for the journey ahead. He was pleasantly surprised when a gennin team delivered six of Kumo's shinobi vests, all embroidered exactly like the one he was currently wearing. Akana mentioned that she'd sent copies of the design to Kumo via messenger hawk so the tailors there could have the vests ready by the time of their delayed arrival.

Speaking of Akana…she was rather…clingy, for the rest of the night. Not that Naruto could really blame her. Ever since the Raikage had placed Naruto under her care he'd limited the number of long-term missions she'd been sent on. They'd never been apart for more than a month, and she'd only had four missions of that length in the ten years she'd been raising him. To be separated for two years, that was going to be a new experience for the both of them. And something that had him a bit worried as well. Though his nervousness only made Akana's reluctance to allow Naruto to leave her line of sight for the rest of the night slightly less intolerable.

But the night flew by; and before they knew it they were at Kumogakure's main gate along with Meitoku, Yugito, Kirabi, and Jiraiya. The latter two stood well back, giving their new charges a chance to make their goodbyes. Akana currently had Naruto wrapped in a tight hug. "I'm going to miss you."

He grinned ruefully, "I know, I'm not looking forward to being apart for this long either. It's…going to take some getting used to."

Akana straightened, resting her hands on her son's shoulders and looking her in the eye. "These two years are going to change you, they're tumultuous enough even under normal circumstances. But don't let them change you too much. Remember what you've learned, where you've come from, and above all else, who you are. Stay true to yourself, know matter what happens."

"I'll remember that Kaa-san."

She bent down, moving his hitaite away and kissing him on the forehead. "I know you will, make me proud."

He grinned as Akana went over to talk to Yugito, "When have I not?"

She chuckled, "You've got a good point."

Then Meitoku walked over to talk to Naruto, the two standing there awkwardly for a few moments. "So…" Naruto began, "it looks like the team is going to be broken up."

"Inevitable I suppose, a reshuffling was bound to occur after your promotions. But I hadn't expected our interactions to decrease this much."

Naruto shook his head in amusement, "Even now…you distance yourself from your emotions as much as you can manage. Remember, so long as you can control them they're a source of strength. And don't you slack off while we're gone either. I still want the chance to fight alongside you when we get back."

The edge of Meitoku's lips quirked upwards in a smile and he extended his hand to Naruto, "Until we meet again then."

Naruto's grin widened as he leaned forward suddenly, brushing Meitoku's hand aside and capturing him in a rough hug. He chuckled, ignoring Meitoku's indignant sputtering. He patted his teammate on the back as he broke away, still chuckling under his breath. "I look forward to seeing what you can do when we get back." And then he turned, walking towards where Kirabi and Jiraiya were waiting.

But then he came to a sudden stop, hearing something for the first time. Meitoku was laughing. Naruto spun on his heel, an eyebrow arched quizzically. Meitoku's smile deepened slightly. "Yugito told me you'd do that." Naruto shook his head; turning back and resuming his walk towards the two men who would be influencing his life so much for the next two years, for better or worse. Yugito fell into step behind him, their hands joining subconsciously. And then the pair went on to face their future.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It didn't take long, though, for them to wonder what the future held in store for them. They had reached a city in three days of leisurely travel. Shortly thereafter the two elder shinobi rented a hotel room and prepared to head out. Yugito was tapping her foot, a look of disbelief plastered across her face. "Let me get this straight…we're not even out of Kumo for three days, we're at the first town we've come across, and you're already ditching us to go to a bar."

Jiraiya shrugged, "Hey, we'll be close enough in case anything happens."

"Didn't Raikage-sama tell you something about watching your vices."

"Hey, us going to a bar isn't going to make either of your perverted or cause you to start rapping. Especially since you'll be here. Just don't do anything I wouldn't while we're gone."

Naruto snorted in amusement from where he was lounging on the couch, "Is there anything you wouldn't do if you were alone in a room with a girl?"

"Well, there's this one thing where you mmph!" All three Kumo-nin appeared in front of Jiraiya instantly, there hands on his mouth and cutting him off.

"I really don't think we want to know…" muttered Naruto.

Yugito's words were a little less reserved, and her stare icy as she stared down the Sannin. "Naruto-kun is right, we don't want to know. And if you continue I'll make sure that you are physically incapable of ever doing it. And since I don't know what it is I guess I'll just have to be very thorough in my work. Do. You. Understand?"

Jiraiya nodded nervously, and the Kumo-nin stepped back. He recovered his composure almost instantly though, turning to address Kirabi. "Now, just don't try to rap at the bar, you'll scare away all the women!"

"Hey! Chicks dig Kirabi's rhymes, it's why I make them all the time."

Jiraiya groaned in frustration as the two disappeared down the hall. Naruto turned towards Yugito. "It's going to be a looong couple of years."

**Author's Note****: And so Kirabi makes his appearance. He should be a fun character to work with, even if his dialogue is slightly annoying to write. It was nice to see the reviews pick up again last chapter, and now I'm halfway to the 1,000 review mark. Thanks to all who've reviewed, and keep it up please.**

**Translations:**

**Megurushi no To-Remu:- Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Shitai no To-Remu - Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**


	28. Chapter 27: Home

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Four shinobi were picking their way across the mountain trails towards the distant village. For three of them, it was the first glimpse of their home they'd had in over two years. And they'd been an interesting couple of years full of adventure, training, and no small amount of frustration. And while the two elder shinobi had remained essentially unchanged, the same was not necessarily true of their young charges.

Naruto had definitely changed. His manner of dress was much the same as it had been upon his departure; embroidered vest, navy blue shinobi pants, and an abstinence from footwear. Though one who had known him well enough from before his trip may have noticed that the symbols decorating the edges and seams of his vest were slightly different than they had been. His hair was still worn in the same length and style, still held back by his hitaite. But he had grown. He'd shot up to a height of five foot ten, a growth spurt that was only just now beginning to wane. His muscle tone had never been bad for a kid, but now he was approaching sixteen years of age and his body had developed. He may not have had the bulging biceps of Kirabi; but his lean form was covered in well-defined, corded muscles that rippled beneath his skin with every motion. His whisker markings had changed too, shifting and darkening slightly. It gave him a feral look, one Yugito found quite attractive in combination with his muscular physique.

Speaking of Yugito, the years had been kind to her as well. Like Naruto she had retained her style of dress; shinobi vest, tube top undershirt, knee-length shorts, and bandage wrapped calves. The embroideries of her vest had changed subtly as well, and her bandage-wrapped ponytail fell to the middle of her back. At five foot seven she was a few inches shorter than Naruto, but she had developed well. She was a lithe beauty, her body well-toned and curved in all the right places. Her feline appearance only served to accentuate her exquisite features, turning her into a stunning beauty that men would die for…and a few (particular Jiraiya) had come close after improper advances.

And now they were standing in the shadow of Kumo's walls for the first time in over two years. After all their travels they were finally home. They took a leisurely walk around the village's walls to reach the gate, where they were waived through almost immediately. As they were walking through the streets they noticed a pair of messenger hawks rise up from the gate, their low trajectory of flight suggesting that they were bound for a nearby destination. "Looks like word of our arrivals being sent out ahead of us," Naruto muttered.

Yugito shrugged, "With luck that means we won't have to wait long to meet with the Raikage."

"Waiting for the Raikage won't be an issue," Kirabi rapped, "I know that we'll get sent straight through."

Naruto glanced over at Kirabi suspiciously, "Why do I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me?"

Jiraiya glanced over at him, "Because like any good shinobi you're wary and perceptive."

Naruto nodded, "Which is why I know you only looked over here so you could see that woman's reflection in the window."

Jiraiya opened his mouth but was cut off as Yugito's fist slammed into the back of the head, forcing him to stumble forward a half step. "I've told you not to leer at women around me."

Jiraiya rubbed the back of his head ruefully. "You know, some day I'm going to stop letting you hit me."

Naruto snorted in amusement, "You know we don't need you to let us hit you."

The rest of their walk to the tower passed in much the same manner, inane banter (rapping in Kirabi's case) between the quartet of shinobi. They were waved straight through the lobby of the Raikage's Tower, and the Raikage's secretary didn't make them wait at all either. It was only after opening the door that Naruto stopped. His first observation was that the Raikage was sitting in his chair, swiveled around to face the window. Due to the broad chair the only part of the Raikage that was visible was the hat, and it was several inches lower than it should have been. The next thing he noticed was the chakra signature, one he knew almost as well as his own despite not having felt it in more than two years. He felt his jaw drop even as the chair swung around, revealing a broadly grinning Akana. "Kaa-san! You're the Raikage!"

He hadn't been certain what to expect, but seeing her break into peals of laughter definitely wasn't it. "No," she sputtered after finally recovering from her laughing fit (although she was still chuckling quite a bit), "but the look on your face was priceless." She took off the hat and tossed it like a frisbee to the corner of the room. Naruto took a half step forward to see it caught by a large dark-skinned man, whose Raikage robes were worn open over a rather muscular chest. Naruto found him somewhat reminiscent of Kirabi, but before he could dwell on it much Akana's voice snapped him out of his musings. "Kuro-kun was just nice enough to allow me this little prank."

The apparent Godaime Raikage of Kumogakure caught the hat and put it back in place with a slight scowl. "Only because you woke me up at three in the morning three weeks straight. And how many times have I asked you to call me Kurogane?"

Akana leaned back propping her feet up on the desk. "Pretty much every time we've ever seen each other, which considering we were on the same gennin team is quite a lot. Talk about an exercise in futility."

Naruto cleared his throat, drawing attention back to the newly arrived shinobi. "We just get back after more than two years and-"

He was abruptly cut off as Akana covered the distance between them in the blink of an eye and enveloped him in a crushing hug. "I've missed you," she whispered, "It's been a long couple of years."

Naruto returned the hug, noticing how odd it seemed to be _taller_ than her. "I've missed you too Kaa-san."

She pulled away a bit, her hands grasping him by the shoulders as she stared up at him. "You got taller, more muscular, and you move with more grace than you did before. You sure have changed, in good ways I should hope."

Naruto chuckled, "Don't worry, their less savory habbits haven't rubbed off on either myself or Yugito-chan."

"It's nice to know I only have to worry about my brother speaking like that."

Yugito turned to look at the Raikage, now seated behind his desk. "So you are his…"

"Yes, Kirabi is my younger brother by three years."

"How long has he been speaking like that?"

The Raikage winced, "Too long."

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with the way I talk, always makes people stop and gawk."

"That's not because they like it," Naruto muttered dryly.

"Enough," said the Raikage as Kirabi opened his mouth to retort. "We can debate the shortcomings of Kirabi's rapping later."

"Hey!"

Kurogane simply continued on as if he hadn't heard his brother's interruption, "I'd like to know how skilled Naruto and Yugito are after their training with you, I'm sure Akana would as well."

It was Jiraiya who answered as he was leaning against the door jamb. "They're good…very good. Either one of them could probably go against anyone else in this room. I can't say for certain whether or not they'd win, but they'd definitely be able to make a fight out of it."

"So you think they'd be ready for a promotion to Jounin I assume?"

"Our students definitely know the drill, and they have mad skill."

"I'll take that as a yes. I'm going to send them on a mission with an impartial jounin then, and take his opinion into account. And if they're as good as you claim I'll promote them to jounin. Until then I want the two of you to keep your new skills under wraps, I don't want any rumors spreading through the village and influencing the Jounin I choose. For now though, I'm sure they'd enjoy an opportunity to relax after returning from their trip. Akana, why don't you show them around."

Yugito arched an eyebrow, "Show us around? How much could the village have changed in two years?"

Akana grabbed both of the Araikis by the arm as she headed out the door, a grin spreading across her face. "You'd be surprised."

Naruto's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "What does that mean?"

Akana's grin widened slightly, "Oh, you'll see."

Before long the three blondes were walking along the village's streets, Akana peppering the two younger shinobi with a series of questions about their trip. It was full of good memories, and a few less desirable ones. Naruto was currently running through one of the latter memories. "Then there was the one time Kirabi dragged us along to a singing contest for moral support."

Akana winced, "He rapped at a singing concert?"

"Yep."

"Well…at least you got to hear some good singers out of the deal."

Yugito fixed her with a flat stare, "He won."

Akana winced again, "It was that bad?"

She shook her head, "I don't know how he managed to find a group of vocalists who were that…horrible…but it was definitely painful to sit through."

"Yeah," Naruto muttered, "not one of the better moments of the trip. At least the time Jiraiya tried peeping on us was amusing at the end."

Akana stopped cold, an edge of danger slipping into her tone, "What?"

"Don't worry," Naruto chuckled as the memory came back to him, "he paid for it."

_It was about three months into their training trip and the two Araikis were currently enjoying some much needed rest. Both their sensei were brutal, and at times not even the healing power of their bloodline was capable of alleviating the soreness in their muscles. So they had retired to a natural onsen, soothing their aches and pains while basking in each others presence. At least they were until Naruto heard a slight scrabbling in the bushes. He sunk a bit lower in the water, until only the back of his head was visible over the rim of rock. Then he activated his bloodline, enhancing his senses with Ishiki no To-Remu. There was no doubt about it; the pervert was crouched in the bushes about thirty yards away._

_He shot a glance at Yugito who understood almost immediately. An explosion of chakra later and the two dripping wet Araikis found themselves atop the enormous avatars of their totems, each young shinobi clad only in their swimsuits. "Oh Jiraiya," Yugito's dangerously sweet voice rang across the distance between them, "What have I told you about trying that?"_

_Jiraiya swallowed nervously, this definitely called for a quick escape. And with the two Araikis atop their large totems it meant he'd need…"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" One enormous cloud of smoke later and Jiraiya was crouched atop Gamabunta, the Boss Toad. "Come on Bunta, we need to get out of here."_

"_I don't see any enemies around, what's going on?"_

_Yugito's voice hissed through the air before Jiraiya's could, "That pervert tried to peep on us."_

"_Whaaat! You tried to peep on Minato's boy!?" Jiraiya swallowed hard, suddenly realizing that summoning Gamabunta may not have been the best of ideas._

"Suffice to say," Naruto said with a smirk, "he _never_ tried pulling that stunt again.

Akana rolled her eyes, "Sounds like you had an interesting few years."

Naruto shrugged, "It wasn't all bad. Jiraiya knows the Elemental Nations pretty well; he took us to see quite a few interesting sights. There were the Crystal Caves of Tsuki no Kuni, The Sailboat Races of Mizu no Kuni, the Shodai's Grove in Ho no Kuni…you'd be amazed at the number of places he's been to. That and there was the training we went through. It was brutal at times, but worth it in the end. I have a question about the village though, what happened to the Yondaime Raikage?"

"He retired about a year ago, appointing Kurogane as his successor. With him still around to help push the appointment through there wasn't exactly much resistance. He's currently out helping to supervise a training trip for a bunch of academy students. He always has been fond of working with young kids, never had any of his own. So he figured that since he has time now he could work with some of the younger students."

"It's nice to hear that he's enjoying his retirement. Where are you taking us anyway? The only things over here are some of the larger estates and training grounds."

Akana stopped, dispelling a genjutsu and revealing an ornate iron gate set into a granite wall guarding the entrance to what used to what had been the Araikis' favorite training ground as children. "One less training ground and one more estate now."

The two Araikis stood in shock for several moments, the silence eventually broken by Yugito. "Th-they built us an estate?"

"Yep, with your sixteenth birthdays coming up so soon after you got back the Yondaime Raikage decided that construction on an estate should be started. It ended just over a month ago so the Godaime Raikage decided you could move in upon your return." The corners of her lips quirked upwards in a sad smile, "You're welcome back home whenever you'd like, of course. But you have a place of your own now."

Naruto still hadn't quite gotten over the shock. "They just built it for us…free of charge?"

"Only the essentials for now; manor, library, training grounds…I provided most of the landscaping and design ideas with help from a few other people who knew you before your training trip. A few Doton users were brought in to terraform the grounds, stone was brought in from Tsuki no Kuni, wood from Ho no Kuni…you should love it. I'll let you look through it for the first time by yourselves." And with that she was gone in a swirl of static electricity.

She reappeared a few blocks away leaning back against a nearby wall as she stared up t the sky. She'd always heard that it could be difficult for a parent at times to watch their children grow up. And at times like this she could believe it. It was…weird kind of, almost like letting Naruto go on the day she got him back. But on the other hand she couldn't help but feel proud of the man he was growing into, one she'd had as much of a hand in shaping as anybody. A somewhat bittersweet moment she supposed.

Yugito and Naruto stood at the gate for a few seconds. Then Naruto strode forward, pushing the gate open and taking his first steps into the compound. It was almost as if they'd walked out of the village and into a forest. The flora had been left largely intact, though it had been pruned in such a way as to leave suggestions of paths winding their way through the trees and underbrush. The buildings were made of a dark stone and crafted of cylinders and domes, lacking the sharp corners that would have stuck out in a natural setting.

The first building they ended up entering was obviously intended to be a dojo. The one room building was dominated by a floor of hard packed earth, ringed by low-wooden benches. There were thickly woven tatami maps placed around the edges of the arena in case a bit of added padding was desired. The walls themselves were hung with a wide variety of weapons whose forging was somewhat reminiscent of the arms they'd seen Meitoku wield. Neither of them doubted that there old teammate had, at the very least helped, stock the place.

There was another training ground just behind the dojo, sunk five feet into ground and lined with stone to help prevent stray jutsu from wreaking havoc on the landscapes and buildings beyond. One end of it was occupied by a spring fed pool, fuel for any Suiton techniques that someone might want to try. Further explorations brought them to the small cliffs they remembered from their childhood. The ground at the bottom had always been peppered with a couple of natural onsen, most of which were now encircled by stone walls for privacy. For one, however, the Doton-users had extended the cliff face and encapsulated it in a small grotto. It would probably be a bit dark at night, but there was no denying that it was a nice touch."

Then they approached the compound's main cluster of buildings; a library, a manor, and two smaller buildings that flanked it. Guest houses they supposed, though in the future as the clan grew they could probably house more of its members. They chose to enter the library first. The front of the building was given over to a large sitting area; dominated by mahogany tables, stuffed leather armchairs, and a pair of roaring fireplaces. The rest of the building was filled with bookshelves of polished wood. Some of them had already been stocked. The Araikis found scrolls on history, their bloodline, ninjutsu they'd learn or would want to learn, taijutsu (particularly their own style), and genjutsu theory. Despite the bounty of knowledge already present there was plenty of space to add future scrolls.

Next they visited the mansion itself. It was richly upholstered, filled with wood paneling, sumptuous carpeting, and leather furniture. Several of the rooms had fireplaces, offering a way to make the mansion seem cozier during Kumo's long winter months. There was a courtyard in the center of the mansion, its space dominated by a tree of monolithic proportions that towered above the rooftops. Overall, the compound held a natural feel. It was designed so as to blend seamlessly with nature, integrating itself with the landscape. It was a place of wild beauty, and Akana had done her job well.

The master bedroom was as nice as any other room in the house. It was dominated by an enormous, feather-soft bed. There was another fireplace near the foot of the bed, along with dark wooden dressers and wardrobes around the sides of the room. The large windows provided a breathtaking view of the compound, and allowed them to keep an eye on the gate. The attached bathrooms were just as impressive, painstakingly crafted from white and red granite.

Naruto was about to leave to see the rest of the mansion when he felt Yugito's arms wrap around them from behind. "Nuh-uh."

Naruto arched an eyebrow "Nuh-uh?"

Yugito rolled her eyes, "We've just returned to our home village. We're completely alone in a brand new house with a brand new and luxuriously furnished bedroom." Her fingers slid around his torso, undoing the fastenings of his vest. She leaned forward a bit, pressing herself into his back and nibbling his ear softly. "I think," she whispered, her breath hot on his ear, "that it's not time to leave quite yet."

"You mean…"

She giggled lightly, spinning him around and divesting him of his vest in the process. It was only when the turn was completed that he realized that she had, at one point, also managed to divest herself of all the clothing she'd been wearing on her torso. She reached up and pulled his head forward until his forehead resting against hers, a grin widening across her features. "For all your cunning when it comes to combat you sure are clueless when it comes to the fairer sex. Speaking of sex…" she turned and sauntered over to the bed, turning her head to peer behind her and flash him a sultry smile, "You coming?" She finished her turn just in time to be born down to the bed beneath him.

**Author's Note****: Whew…sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. Unfortunately I was a bit busy with schoolwork, that and I suffered from a bit of writer's block as I tried to decide just how to start the post-time skip years. It was also a short chapter by my standards but…if you check my profile you'll find the prologue for my new story ****Culmination****. So check it out and leave a review to tell me what you think…preferably for both fics.**

**Translations**

**Ishiki no To-Remu - Translates to Senses of the Totem. User's eyes change to resemble that of their totem. Chakra will also outline the user's ears. This stage of To-Remu Yajuuki greatly enhances all five senses of its user.**


	29. Chapter 28: Old Friends, Old Foes

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Naruto shifted in his sleep as the first rays of the morning sun struck his whiskered face. His eyes fluttered open as he heard a mewl of protest beside him and Yugito's warm body attempted to burrow into his own. He turned his head, chuckling softly as his gaze settled upon her sleeping form. One of her arms was thrown haphazardly across his chest, her legs intertwined with his. He moved slowly, carefully extricating himself first from the tangle of limbs and blankets. It took a bit of doing, but he managed to free himself without waking Yugito, though she did shift somewhat uncomfortably from the lack of warmth.

The first thing Naruto did upon gaining his feet was to pad silently over to the windows and draw the curtains closed. Just because he'd been woken early by the sun didn't mean that she had to be. He found himself wishing that they'd thought to close the curtains before hitting the bed…but at the time such considerations had been far from either of their minds.

Naruto found himself blushing just a bit as he remembered the details of that night. While they'd certainly messed around a bit before, they'd never taken it that far. But there'd been know denying that it simply felt right. They'd loved each other, heart and soul, for perhaps longer than either of them truly realized. The moment had come, and the consummation….there weren't words to describe it.

It had turned into quite the long night too. When their considerable stamina met Yugito's cat-like curiosity, well…suffice to say it was a great night. With a soft smile on his lips he gave Yugito a light kiss on the forehead. Then he rummaged through his storage scrolls, unsealing his soap and shampoo before slipping into the bathroom. He quickly came to the conclusion that the shower was just as nice as it looked, and he spent quite a while luxuriating beneath the spray of warm water.

He eventually did climb out of the shower and was toweling off as he walked back into the bedroom. Yugito had woken while he was taking the shower. Her hair was free of its usual ponytail, cascading down her back as she stretched the night's stiffness from her muscles.

For her part Yugito turned her head as she heard the door swing open, catching sight of Naruto as he walked back into the room. She hopped lithely to her feet, striding over and wrapping her hands arms around his neck before capturing his lips in a languorous kiss. She held it for several seconds before pulling away, a contented smile on her face as she gazed up at him. "Mmm…morning."

He chuckled softly, "Good morning indeed, how are you feeling."

Her smile widened a bit as she pushed herself a bit closer, "Wonderful…"

He chuckled slightly, bending to kiss the top of her head. "Good to hear."

"Of course it is. Now, if you'll excuse me," she pushed past him and into the bathroom, "I'm going to take a shower of my own." With that she gave the door a soft shove, letting it swing gently closed.

Naruto went back to his luggage, unsealing a set of clothes and dressing himself. He briefly considered picking up the clothes strewn haphazardly across the room, but decided that could wait until a bit later. Instead he went downstairs to the kitchen, finding the necessary ingredients and beginning to make breakfast. Cooking was a skill he and Yugito had learned from Jiraiya. The old pervert was a surprisingly good chef, though when Naruto thought about it a bit more he supposed it only made sense. If he traveled nearly half as extensively as the Toad Sage he'd want to be able to make some good meals for himself as well.

With the help of a few clones it didn't take him too long to prepare the food, and before long he was placing the plates full of pancakes and sausages on the table. It was at about that time that Yugito slipped into the room, clad in a soft robe and with her hair pulled back in its usual pony tail. She slid into a seat, then heaped a generous amount of food onto her plate. She glanced up, noting Naruto's amused look. "What…I worked up an appetite last night."

He couldn't help but chuckle a bit at that, a slight blush tinting his cheeks as he did. "Umm…Yugito-chan, last night was…"

She tilted her head up towards him, her gaze softening. "I know," she whispered, "you don't have to say it." She popped another bit of food into her mouth and swallowed it before glancing up at him again. She grinned a bit as she did, her personality once more taking on that playful edge he was so used to. "Of course, that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to hear it."

That elicited a bit of a chuckle from him. "I love you Yugito-chan."

"I know, I love you too." Then the moment, which seemed to be so promising in a romantic sense, was suddenly interrupted as both Araikis sensed a new chakra signature appearing at the front door. Naruto rose to his feet, allowing the as yet undressed Yugito to remain at the table as he went to see what was going on. He opened the door to find an ANBU waiting outside.

The ANBU extended a scroll towards Naruto, "Araiki-san, the Raikage asked me to deliver this to you. It contains information on the mission he's sending you on."

Naruto grimaced slightly as he accepted the scroll, "I didn't think he'd send you this early."

"Umm…it's 11 o'clock."

Naruto poked his head out the door; paying attention, possibly for the first time, to the position of the sun and the time of day. "Huh, must have slept in later than I thought. Well, thanks for dropping this off."

"Don't mention it Araiki-san," and then the ANBU was gone in a crackle of static.

Naruto gave the door a gentle shove, letting it swing back closed. He unsealed the scroll as he headed back into the manor, his eyes busily scanning its contents. Yugito glanced up as Naruto re-entered the kitchen, immediately noticing the unrolled scroll in his hands. "What do you have there?"

"Details of that mission the Raikage was talking about earlier. Hmm…we're going to be on a four-man team, the other two members of our team are a Jounin who's a bit older than us and a Tokubetsu Jounin who's approximately our age. We're supposed to meet them at the front gate in at two in the afternoon. For the mission itself though…apparently a few Kiri-nin have been spotted just inside our borders. Their motives aren't known yet but they're suspected hostiles. We're supposed to determine whether or not that's true and, if necessary, eliminate them."

"Kiri-nin huh…wonder what side of the civil war they're fighting on."

Naruto rolled the scroll back up, setting it down on the table as he sat himself down to eat. "Doesn't matter. They've already let their own country go to hell, I see no reason to let them spread that kind of chaos here."

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The couple made it to the front gate with fifteen minutes to spare, their trained eyes sweeping the busy press of pedestrians to see if either of their soon to be teammates had yet arrived. And sure enough one stationary figure could just be made out through the crowd, sunlight glinting off the hitaite worn about his forehead. The two slipped through the crowd easily enough, agile forms sliding through the bustle of the village's main thoroughfare.

When they finally did break through they were greeted by the sight of Meitoku leaning against a tree while his eyes continuously scanned the crowd. His wiry figure had grown through the years, though he still wasn't quite as tall as Naruto. His clothing had changed only slightly, dark grey trench coat worn over his shinobi vest. He dipped his head slightly in acknowledgement as he caught sight of the pair, pushing off the tree into a standing position as he gave a small smile. "Greetings, it is nice to finally see you again."

"Meitoku! It's been a while. What are you doing here?"

"It has indeed been a long time. I'm going to be one of your teammates for this mission."

Naruto grinned, "So that would make you a Tokubetsu Jounin then?"

"Yes, I was promoted to Chuunin six months after you left in the subsequent Chuunin Exams. I was promoted to Tokubetsu Jounin a few months ago."

"Ahh…congratulations." Naruto was about to continue when he sensed a brief surge of chakra behind him denoting a sunshin. He turned to take note of the new arrival, presumably the last member of their team. He was of unremarkable appearance, five foot eight with a solid build and dressed in standard shinobi wear. There were faint creases around his mouth, apparently from the perpetual frown he seemed to wear. But despite his rather normal and dour appearance a trained shinobi could tell that this newcomer was not one to take lightly. His every movement was sure and confident. And his eyes were those of one who'd faced countless life and death situations…and endured them all.

"I am Yokoshi Kenjiro and I've been assigned by the Raikage to evaluate the two of you over the course of this mission. I understand that as gennin teammates the three of you would undoubtedly like to catch up but I would like to request that you not talk about your training until after the mission is completed."

Naruto shrugged, "Guess I can understand that…it's going to make for a boring trip though."

Kenjiro offered a shrug of his own, "Some missions are like that." And then the quartet of shinobi blurred from sight as they hurtled into the rugged landscape surrounding Kumo.

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It didn't take them too long to reach the region where the Kiri-nin had been spotted. But from there, things slowed down a bit. They had to visit small towns and villages, gathering the relevant rumors htat had spread rampantly throughout the area. It was frustrating work; leading them through a series of twists, turns, and dead ends as they painstakingly determined which rumors contained a grain of truth and which were wild falsehoods.

It was also slow work, and something that would have taken a great deal of time if they hadn't encountered something while traveling between a pair of settlements. It was Naruto and Yugito who came to a sudden halt, activating both Megurushi and Ishiki no To-Remu. Their unexplained actions caught the attention of both their teammates, and it was Meitoku who asked the question. "What is it?"

Naruto cast his head about, taking several deep sniffs of the air before responding. "Blood, quite a bit of it I think. It's from the northeast, come on." Without further hesitation the two Araikis leapt off through the forest, Meitoku and Kenjiro following close behind. It took them about five minutes to find the source of the scent.

The team of shinobi found themselves at the edge of a clearing soaked with blood. And the source of the blood was readily apparent, four barely recognizable corpses with Kiri hitaites grouped loosely in the center of the clearing. The team of living shinobi approached them cautiously, before examining the grievous wounds covering their bodies. What became readily apparent was that the wounds had been made by bladed weapons, ones that had torn deeply into the bodies at several places.

"Hmm," Kenjiro muttered, "it looks like whoever attacked these four was vicious." The other three Kumo-nin, however, knew differently. All three had had significant experience with swords, Meitoku had been training with them for all his life while Naruto and Yugito had spent several years with the man who was possibly Kumo's greatest swords master. All three had learned much of the blade, and that applied to more than just using them to inflict wounds.

Another key skill for any wielder of the blade was analyzing wounds that had already been inflicted. Meitoku was likely better at it than either of his friends, but as this was essentially an audition for their advancement he was willing to let them make the analysis.

"No," Naruto pointed out several of the slashes as he spoke, "people who try to overwhelm their opponents generally utilize heavy weapons. These were inflicted by slimmer blades…something more like a katana, though the edges were straight. And if you look here, here, here, and here." He pointed out each wound as he spoke before Yugito took over.

"They're all wounds that kill quickly and cleanly. This one was to the base of the skull, that blow split open the spinal chord, this thrust skewered him through both lungs and his heart, while this guy has his throat slit. These attacks are indicative of someone who utilizes precise thrusts and stabs to kill their opponents, not the wild slashing that caused the majority of these wounds."

Kenjiro frowned, "Then what's with all the other wounds?"

"They were inflicted very quickly after these shinobi were already killed."

"Why?"

Naruto straightened, glancing around the clearing. "There are several possibilities. Sometimes corpse mutilations are done in fits of anger, sometimes used to attempt to demoralize those enemies that are not yet dead. But I'd bet my bloodline that this was done with two objectives in mind. The first of which was to draw attention."

"And what makes you think that?"

"Because I know the second reason was to disguise a scent."

"And what scent is that?"

Yugito cut in, answering the question for him. "Snake."

"Ku ku ku…very perceptive." Meitoku and Kenjiro twitched infitesimally in surprise as they spun around. Naruto and Yugito turned more slowly; having already sensed the approach of Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke. "Your growth seems to be as great as one would expect after a few years training under Jiraiya."

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he regarded the trio of dangerous shinobi lined up across from them. Orochimaru and Kabuto looked the same as he remembered from when he had last seen them. Sasuke had grown, much as one would expect from anybody over that age span. And his Sharingan stared balefully at Naruto from behind a thick set of scars that Naruto could only assume had been a result of the exploding kunai all those years ago. He locked gazes with the Uchiha brushing aside a genjutsu as he tilted his head to the side. "What's the matter, didn't you get enough sleep? You've got these bags under your eyes or something."

The Uchiha's teeth ground together almost audibly, his hand closing around the hilt of his sword as he took a half step forward. He was stopped, however, as Orochimaru placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. "Now now Sasuke-kun, you should know better than to let your enemies goad you into acting carelessly."

"Then let's attack already, we're not going to capture those two by standing around. And I want my revenge for what he tried to do to me."

"You mean trying to blind you? What was your Chidori supposed to do, resuscitate me?"

"Enough," all eyes turned to Orochimaru as his voice hissed across the clearing, "I will offer the two of you one last chance to join me voluntarily before we take you by force."

A puff of smoke originated from the symbols around Naruto's vest, which had been modified slightly to serve as storage seals. A blade emerged from the extra-dimensional space. It was identical in shape to the blades wielded by Kirabi, though the metal was a matte black with the blue symbols of his bloodline etched along the center of the blade. He leveled the blade at Orochimaru, even as Ishiki no To-Remu faded to make way for Mantoru no To-Remu. "Not interested, and unlike you I'm not about to give you any second chances."

Orochimaru's chuckles gave way to a disgusting gagging sound as Kusangani emerged from his mouth. Sasuke drew his chokuto as well, and Kabuto's hands began glowing as he activated his chakra scalpels. Naruto's eyes swept across the assembled Oto-nin critically. "Orochimaru's the biggest threat, and I'm not sure how Sasuke and Kabuto compare to each other. My wind affinity allows me to counter Sasuke's lightning affinity though, and my water his fire, so I'll take him. And if Yugito can hold her own against Jiraiya she should be able to do the same with Orochimaru, though she could probably use some help from Meitoku. So that would leave Kabuto to you, Kenjiro."

The jounin nodded, "Your reasoning seems sound." Those were the last words spoken before the clearing dissolved into chaos. It was just as well that the team from Kumo had agreed to let Naruto handle Sasuke, because it soon became apparent that the Uchiha was determined to let nothing stand between him and the young blonde. His sharingan spun as he closed in, seeking to analyze and memorize the blonde's sword style.

Naruto, however, wanted no part in that. One foot slid back as his sword rose, presenting the most basic block possible as he stopped Sasuke's slash cold. The corners of Naruto's mouth turned up in the barest hint of a smile, "You don't really expect me to tip my hand to those eyes of yours do you?" Sasuke suppressed a snarl of rage as he withdrew his blade, then surged forward in a sudden flurry of strikes.

Naruto gave ground freely before the relentless assault, his blade weaving through the air and interposing itself between himself and Sasuke's every strike. The pattern held for twenty long seconds before the Uchiha leapt back, smirking triumphantly. Naruto arched an eyebrow, "You sure seem pleased with yourself."

"Hn, your blade work doesn't match mine."

Naruto only grinned, producing a second blade from the seals at the edges and seams of his vest. "Unlike you, my kenjutsu training wasn't limited to utilizing one blade." This time it was Naruto who surged forward. His two blades rose into a blinding series of strikes, forcing Sasuke back onto his heels in the face of Naruto's flurry of strikes. Then a pair of fox jaws emerged from the protective chakra field of Mantoru no To-Remu right below Naruto's neck, catching a third blade as it was unsealed. Sasuke's eyes widened even as the limbs of a fox also emerged, trapping four more blades in place at the Araiki's elbows and knees.

Naruto's grin took on a positively feral cast as he bounded forward, leaping into the air as he closed in on the Uchiha. Sasuke's Sharingan spun wildly as they watched Naruto come in. Sasuke tried to predict, to memorize the movements; but it was all in vain. This kenjutsu style was more complex than anything the Uchiha had ever seen. The sheer possibilities…the angles, the variations, the practically unheard of number of blades used in combat. Even with his vaunted dojutsu he couldn't even begin to comprehend Naruto's attack.

So he dove to the side, chokuto raised desperately to provide some modicum of defense. Naruto managed to bring five of his blades into play, despite Sasuke's last minute evasion. The chokuto managed to parry one, blocking another. The other three hit home; slashing deeply into Sasuke's upper arm, torso, and thigh. The Uchiha reeled backwards, blood flowing freely from his wounds as he just barely managed to stay on his feet. He was panting heavily as he gazed at Naruto disbelief clearly splayed across his features.

"You can't follow it can you? Can't read my sword work?"

"How is this possible? I trained under Orochimaru for years…a Sannin!"

"You don't get it do you? You never have. I spent my years under Jiraiya and Kirabi, two powerful shinobi who wanted to help me. So they did their best to ensure that I became as skilled as possible. You trained under Orochimaru, who while possibly was just as powerful as my sensei's sought to use you. So he did everything in his power to ensure that you remained under his. Sure, he wanted your body in good shape and your chakra reserves as large as possible to help him out when he finally stole that body. But your knowledge of battle, of tactics, of justsu…useless to him. So he taught you just enough to keep you satisfied."

The blonde shook his head, "I told you years ago that there was a reason shortcuts were shortcuts instead of merely the way it was done. But you didn't listen. You tried to get stronger the easy way, but in the end only managed to doom yourself. If you continue to think that you can obtain skill and knowledge that easily you'll never be able to defeat me, or your brother."

Sasuke ran through a short series of hand seals while maintaining his grip on his chokuto. Lightning chakra immediately wreathed his hand spreading down to coat his blade. His words were growled out from between clenched teeth as he charged back towards Naruto. "Don't…underestimate me!"

Naruto simply braced himself to repel the attack, waiting to act until the last possible second. Then several things happened at once. The chakra of his Mantoru no To-Remu spread, coating the blades of his swords. That chakra was recomposed even as the blade was swung, converted to wind chakra. And last but not least, the more intense chakra concentration of Chikara no To-Remu became visible beneath Mantoru no To-Remu's protective chakra cloak. Sasuke's eyes widened as he tried to pull back, but it was too late.

Naruto's blade tore through the chokuto with a scream of tortured metal, the sword's severed blade sent flying in a flashing arc through the air. Sasuke's sword may have been all but destroyed by the collision of metal and chakra, but Naruto's was barely slowed. It continued on its path, easily carving a deep gash through the Uchiha's ribs and lung. He fell backwards even as blood frothed at his lips, the useless hilt of his sword falling from numbed fingers. Naruto stood over his fallen foe, his chakra blazing around him as he lined his blade up one last time. "It's not a matter of me underestimating you Sasuke. It's a matter of you not realizing your own limits. And there's no Akatsuki member to intervene this time."

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Naruto had started slowly, knowing he'd be able to get a feel for Sasuke. It was a technique Yugito and Meitoku didn't dare take against Orochimaru. They both knew he was by far the more dangerous opponent, and that the slightest mistake could mean death. So Meitoku hung back, peppering Orochimaru with a handful of shots from his Magunechikku Koushin as Yugito closed the distance. He'd come a long way with this technique since using it against Kidomaru all those years ago. He could fire more shots, with less time between them, and had the ability to launch his deadly projectiles from many different parts of his body. Indeed his proficiency with the technique was the primary reason he'd been promoted to Tokubetsu Jounin, and it was deadly enough to force even one such as Orochimaru to treat it with a great deal of caution.

It was that deadly barrage that allowed Yugito to close in on the treacherous Sannin with relative ease. And she came in hard. Her bloodline was active, seven blades gripped in both her hands and the chakra of Mantoru no To-Remu as she closed within melee range. As soon as she was close enough she launched herself at the Sannin, unknowingly using almost the exact same attack pattern Naruto had against Sasuke. And like Sasuke, Orochimaru was caught by surprise as he watched his opponent open with a kenjutsu style he'd never before seen.

But he was also a great deal more skilled than Sasuke, as well as more experienced. He'd been drawing Kusangani for battle longer than either the Uchiha or the Araikis had drawn breath. So even though he couldn't quite analyze the sword style, he could certainly analyze the attack. He twisted as he moved low and to the side, moving away from Yugito's center of mass as her blades whizzed by within millimeters of his pale skin. He continued to leap back even as Yugito landed and turned to face him, Kusangani disappearing up his sleeve as he did so.

Then he thrust his arms forward, and roughly a dozen snakes emerged from his sleeve as they shot towards Yugito. Each one of them opened their maws wide, the blade of Kusangani sliding forth from their mouths. He had intended to plant his feet, stabilizing himself and allowing for greater control of his snakes. Unfortunately for him, however, Meitoku was still very much paying attention. And now that Orochimaru was clear of Yugito Meitoku opened up once more, a fresh barrage of hyper-accelerated projectiles hissing through the air towards the Sannin. So Orochimaru was forced to dodge once more, robbing himself of the concentration needed to manipulate the snakes quite as well as he'd desired.

It was all the opportunity Yugito needed. With only a bit of help Kirabi had built his kenjutsu style almost from scratch, creating a formidable arsenal of moves to use along with a previously unheard of seven swords. Its only real weakness was that Kirabi was forced to keep his limbs bent in such a manner as to hold his blades in place, thus limiting his movement options. Regardless, he'd become one of the most accomplished swordsmen in all the Elemental Nations.

But Naruto and Yugito were fast approaching him. They may not yet have had the same instinctive understanding of the sword style he had, despite innumerable hours spent training over the past few years. But Jiraiya had managed to teach the couple how to partially incarnate their totem, allowing it to manifest parts of its chakra body from Mantoru no To-Remu's protective chakra field. And that in turn allowed them to use their totems to secure the blades in place instead of their joints. That ability granted both Araikis much more freedom of movement than Kirabi enjoyed, thus making an already deadly style much more so.

The chakra around Yugito writhed, adjusting the angles of the swords held tight to her body. Then she took a slight hop, tucking herself into an improbable twist and roll as the blades flashed around her. She disappeared into the wriggling mass of snakes, even as the rapid sounds of steel on steel and steel slicing through flesh emerged from it. Two of the snakes were deflected clear, sent flying far wide of Yugito and out of range of her blades. The other ten were sliced apart, shredded so thoroughly that even Orochimaru could exert his control over them no longer. And then Yugito surged forward, Shitai no To-Remu shimmering beneath Mantoru no To-Remu as she closed the distance between the pair faster than Orochimaru could ready a jutsu to stave her off. He did have his remaining two snakes twist around, looping in attempt to force her to pull short. But Meitoku shattered both their skulls with one well-placed shot.

Yugito was able to close the remainder of the distance, and she sported a grim smile of satisfaction as she felt her blades slice into the Sannin. But even as her blades pierced him he seemed to dissolve into white goo, melting back into the ground. She pulled up short, noting that his chakra signature seemed to have disappeared completely. She readied herself to defend against an attack from any angle, a precaution soon found to be unnecessary as Orochimaru emerged from the ground quite some distance from her.

In fact, he wasn't even facing her as another tangle of snakes flew out of his sleeves. They slithered low along the ground, headed towards Naruto and Sasuke. She opened her mouth to warn him. But before the words left her mouth the snakes surged forward, wrapping around the Uchiha and pulling him back a fraction of a second before Naruto's sword plunged into the dirt. Orochimaru brought his young apprentice back to him, frowning in disappointment as he saw the wounds decorating the young shinobi's body. He'd hoped that Sasuke would have at least proven capable of putting up some sort of fight against the apprentices of Kirabi and Jiraiya, but the Araikis had proven more powerful than anticipated. And it didn't help that Sasuke had let his anger and thirst for vengeance get the better of him, and almost get him killed. "Come Kabuto, we are leaving."

The medic wasted little time in appearing next to Orochimaru, able to pull way without too much trouble due to the pair of tendons he'd managed to sever in Kenjiro's left leg. But he was slightly worse for the wear as well. His tabard was singed from a burst of lightning he hadn't quite managed to dodge, and a recently closed wound on his shoulder appeared to have bled rather profusely when first received. "Of course Orochimaru-sama."

Orochimaru turned to regard the two Araikis a broad smile spreading across his face even as he sunk into the ground with his subordinates. "Ku ku ku…the two of you have progressed further than I'd anticipated. It appears that my former teammate isn't quite as useless as I though. But don't worry, I've hardly given up on two specimens as interesting as you." And then he was gone, swallowed completely by the dank earth.

The Araiki's weren't about to leave anything to chance though, and Naruto brought forth an incarnation of his totem the size of a large house to quickly whisk the team of Kumo-nin far from the battleground. It didn't escape Meitoku's notice that Megurushi no To-Remu persisted upon his skin even as the totem took form. It would appear that the Araikis now retained full use of their bloodline even while utilizing To-Remu Konjou: Gonge.

Trying to hunt down Orochimaru now was out of the question, not with Kenjiro's leg injured like that. He'd be too vulnerable to the dangerous Sannin, so Naruto's totem was currently making good time back towards Kumo. The trip passed in grim silence for several minutes, eventually broken by Kenjiro. "You handled Orochimaru fairly well Yugito. And Sasuke is believed to be high jounin level, yet you took him out like he was nothing."

Naruto shrugged, "I was able to goad him into losing his temper, and my elemental affinities match up well against his. My primary is wind to his lightning, and though they didn't come into play my secondary is water against his fire."

"Regardless, that was an impressive display the two of you put on. My report will definitely help your case for being promoted."

The two exchanged quick grins, "We're glad to hear that."** XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A ways away Orochimaru stood in a forest clearing overlooking his two most prized subordinates, though the natures of their respective value to him differed widely. Kabuto was kneeling in the mountain grass, his hands glowing with medical chakra as he worked on the deep gash in Sasuke's chest. Kabuto worked for about fifteen minutes; mending skin, sinew, muscle, bone, and flesh before finally standing up as the glow of chakra faded from his hands. And Orochimaru, who had waited patiently the whole time, broke his silence. "How is he?"

"I was able to repair much of the damage Orochimaru-sama. His life is no longer in danger and he is capable of movement under his own power. However, until I can get him to a place where I'm better able to treat him I cannot fully repair the damage, that injury was quite extensive. I'll be able to handle it with ease when we make it back to the base, but until then Sasuke-san you would be well advised to avoid activity any more strenuous than traveling through the trees."

Sasuke nodded once, rising to his feet with a grimace that not even Orochimaru could tell was from pain or anger. "I understand."

"It is good that no permanent damage was done. Still, I am disappointed. I had expected you to do better against Naruto-kun."

Sasuke turned, looking back towards Kumogakure whilst simultaneously obscuring his face from Orochimaru's view. He was thus able to easily conceal the storm of emotions that raged across it as he pondered both Naruto's statements and the word choice that Orochimaru had utilized. "Yes…it appears that I have not gained the strength I need."

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It took four days to return to Kumogakure, the team slowed somewhat by Kenjiro's injured leg. A wound that none of the Kumo-nin present had the knowledge or training to heal. Upon returning they were almost instantly granted their promotion by the Raikage. While it was a bit disconcerting that Orochimaru would go to such lengths to attempt to capture them the talent they'd shown had been undeniable. And coupled with the glowing testimony of Kirabi and Jiraiya was found to be more than sufficient grounds to make the couple Jounin.

That night they had a celebratory dinner at Mt. Unraikyo, Kirabi sure was surprised when they showed up. Akana had accompanied the duo, of course, and Meitoku had come as well to round out their old gennin team that had now all surpassed the rank of chuunin. The Raikage had also accompanied them, also a bit eager to catch up with his family. The former Raikage had returned to the village as well, and was also willing to show up to help celebrate his former student bringing her students to the rank of jounin for the first time.

Once Kirabi stopped grumbling about the unexpected disturbance, which sounded very odd in his rapping speech pattern, everyone settled down to eat. For Naruto and Yugito the dinner was truly a welcome one. It had been so long since they'd just had a chance to relax without turning an eye to the future. From the journey to Konoha after the revelation regarding Naruto's heritage up to the mission they'd just returned from they had been in a state of almost constantly working towards and worrying about their advancement and future. From worrying about achieving the rank of chuunin, to finding Tsundade to heal Yugito, two spending years of near-constant training, to the last mission before achieving the rank of chuunin. But now they were jounin, without any foreseeable major obstacles or roadblocks in the future, at least not since Akatsuki had gone so quiet.

Instead they had an evening of relaxation with most everybody in Kumo of importance to them. After which they could look forward to living in their own house, sleeping in their own bed, and being able to function as standard shinobi for the first time in a long time. Truly…there was no other place either of the two would wish to be.

**Author's Note****: Phew…sorry about the rather long delay for this update. Real life's been rather hectic lately though with end of semester projects, finals, moving home, etc. That and when I was just about finished and ready to post this my computer got infected by four different viruses. Yeah…those were fun to get rid of. Anyway, here's the long-awaited update. Future ones shouldn't take quite so long, and expect an update to ****Culmination**** next.**

**Translations**

**Megurushi no To-Remu - Translates to Markings of the Totem. This is the first stage of the kekkai genkai To-Remu Yajuuki. It is easily identified as the user's chakra appears on their skin in a pattern of tribal markings. While in this state the user gains enhanced speed, strength, and sensory ability. Additionally, their nails turn into claws and they gain the ability to utilize the rest of their bloodline's techniques.**

**Ishiki no To-Remu - Translates to Senses of the Totem. User's eyes change to resemble that of their totem. Chakra will also outline the user's ears. This stage of To-Remu Yajuuki greatly enhances all five senses of its user.**

**Mantoru no To-Remu - Translates to Mantle of the Totem. This technique forms a protective field of chakra around the user. The field will move autonomously, seeking to deflect glancing blows and lessening the force of ones that land more solidly.**

**Shitai no To-Remu - Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**To-Remu Konjou: Gonge: Translates to Totem Spirit: Incarnate. This is the third stage of To-Remu Yajuuki, where the bearer creates an avatar out of his chakra and allows his/her totem to manifest in the physical world. The size and power varies with the amount of chakra put into the technique; from something barely noticeable to an avatar the size of a boss summon. It is without a doubt a powerful technique, though a difficult one to master.**

**Naibun Jutsu: Magunechikku Koushin – Translates to Secret Jutsu: Magnetic Acceleration. This jutsu is the greatest secret of the Gifu clan and works similarly to a Gauss Rifle. Electricity is run through a series of superconductive coils, accelerating a projectile inside the barrel to tremendous speeds. Normally special projectiles sealed into scrolls are used as ammunition. However, in a pinch it is possible to use pretty much any magnetic object that can fit in the barrel; such as kunai, senbon, shuriken, etc.**


	30. Chapter 29: Eye to the Future

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

Sasuke walked quickly throughout the halls of Orochimaru's stronghold. He'd been patient, very patient. Over the past few months the Sannin's current body had begun to fail him, greatly reducing both Orochimaru's physical capabilities and chakra capacity. In short the Snake Sannin would be at an extreme disadvantage in any combat situation, definitely a bonus considering the possible inflammatory conversation Sasuke was planning to have. So after Orochimaru's physical capabilities had deteriorated to a sufficient degree he merely had to wait until Kabuto was occupied, as he was now. It was as good an opportunity as he was going to get.

He reached Orochimaru's room and activated his Sharingan, tomoe spinning as he examined it. There was no chakra coming from the doorway, which meant no seals being used as traps. Not that he'd expected to find any anyway. It was only in books and movies that every doorway of a hideout was trapped. Sure, it made for a very secure location. But it was also a tremendous drain on resources, and they didn't just make things harder for intruders. Instead, Orochimaru took the more sensible route. The perimeter of the base was trapped, with only a few highly sensitive locations on the interior receiving similar treatment.

Without any further delay Sasuke pushed the door open. His Sharingan whirled as he scanned the room, paying particular attention to the door frame. But there were no mechanical clicks, no sudden motion. Orochimaru had not trapped the door by mundane methods either. The only thing that was present was the Sannin himself, sitting in bed with his impassive gaze fixed upon his erstwhile apprentice. "Sasuke, I was wondering when you'd come here."

The Uchiha didn't back down, his own slowly spinning stare rising to meet Orochimaru's. "You were expecting me?"

"Ku ku ku…you're not as hard to predict as you might think."

"I was unable to defeat Naruto."

"Unable to defeat him Sasuke-kun? You were unable to put up a fight."

Sasuke's gaze narrowed slightly, the rapid spinning of the three tomoe in either eye indicating a sudden surge of anger. "You're training has not yielded the results I'd hoped for." Sasuke began moving forward, slowly and steadily approaching the bed, "We both trained under a Sannin for a similar amount of time, yet Naruto managed to emerge the stronger."

"Naruto began it the stronger."

"You're holding back on me."

"What do you mean, Sauske-kun?"

"You never intended for me to reach your level, never wanted me to be powerful enough to beat Itachi. You just wanted to keep me here, and manipulate me to your own ends."

"Ahh…it seems like someone was listening to Naruto-kun earlier after all."

"He raised some interesting points."

"He always has been a rather…intriguing individual."

"I've decided that he was right, about you at least. You have no desire in pushing me, in preparing me to face Itachi. I am done with you." Now, for civilians that would have simply meant he'd be going his own way. But amongst shinobi, such partings were rarely that simple or peaceful. Especially when they were between nuke-nin, especially when between two individuals of such radically different motives. Thus was Orochimaru not surprised in the least when Sasuke drew his chokuto, a replacement to the one Naruto had shattered, and pointed it at him in one fluid motion. The lightning chakra of a Chidori extending from the blade like a lance as it shot towards the bed-ridden Sannin.

Orochimaru's arms rose, crossing before his face as Sasuke smirked at the feeble defense. Or perhaps not. For as soon as the lightning chakra pierced Orochimaru's skin Sasuke felt a sudden, resistance. Slowly but surely the progress of his attack slowed, even as it transfixed Orochimaru's wrists, until the tip of the attack came to a halt a scant couple of inches from the Sannin's impassive gaze. "Come now Sasuke-kun, did you really expect me to be defeated so easily?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly, "That shouldn't be possible."

For the first time Orochimaru allowed his face to show emotion, the grin spreading across it being absolutely predatory in nature. "You should have listened to Naruto-kun more carefully. Even I heard him mention that I was not teaching you all I knew. You should have listened to me more carefully too. I told you that you were predictable, enough for you to figure out that I'd anticipate your defection. Are you truly foolish enough to think I'd have allowed it if I wasn't able to stop you?"

Even as he spoke his skin seemed to slough weirdly, his mouth stretching open impossibly wide. Sasuke had seen this before, and fully expected another Orochimaru to emerge; a body healed of the puncture wounds in the wrist and prepared to fight. He was not expecting an enormous white snake to burst forth, casually discarding and disregarding its human skin as though it were so much garbage. "The truth is…I lured you here."

Sasuke's ever-present smirk never dimmed as he suddenly blurred from sight, the three severed pieces of Orochimaru's snake form splatted wetly onto the ground immediately afterwards. "A trap?" Sasuke muttered, "Pathe-" the word died as his throat froze up. And to his growing horror, he found that he was unable to move any part of his body, he was completely paralyzed.

"This body, my true form, is designed to immobilize targets. It's blood turns into a paralyzing agent on contact with the air, and the head doesn't die." With that, what remained of Orochimaru lunged forward. His jaws closed around the Uchiha, engulfing him whole and shifting the scene of their battle to that of their minds.

It was several minutes later that the door to Orochimaru's room swung open. Kabuto stood outside, watching with the barest hint of anxiety as the form of Uchiha Sasuke emerged from the room. "Which one are you?"

The medic felt his heart sink as a smirk spread across the face of the figure in front of him. One identical to what he'd seen Uchiha Sasuke use so many times over the past couple of years. "Which one do you think?" Sasuke's smirk even widened as he walked away, Kabuto seeming too dumbstruck to make a move to stop him. And his mind was churning as he walked away. Orochimaru may have been weakened, but not nearly so much as he had thought. He'd been tricked into walking into a trap, but had survived it. He had walked into a battlefield prepared by one of Konoha's most dangerous nuke-nin and emerged victorious. And with the team he had in mind…facing down _the_ most dangerous of Konoha's nuke-nin should be a goal well within his grasp.

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A few months passed by, during which the Araikis were able to spend much of their time in Kumogakure for the first time in years. They did go on missions. Some were solo missions, some the two went on together, and some were with slightly larger teams that occasionally separated the pair. But overall the missions tended to be shorter ones that allowed the Araikis to stay fairly close to home as the Raikage was kind enough to allow them time to spend there that had been all too rare for them the past few years.

The weather also cooled off in the mountains as the year progressed through the month of October. Naruto turned sixteen on the tenth, and Yugito's own sixteenth birthday was coming up soon on the last day of the month. This of course, meant one thing. While the couple had been able to spend a lot of time at home that by no means meant that they weren't busy, for preparations for their wedding were well underway.

For Naruto it was a rare opportunity to see Yugito act, well, girly. It was not a word that could be used to describe her often. Sure, she took great pride in her hair, brushing it to a sheen every morning she could make time for it before binding it in its customary pony tail. But other than that; she tended to be a bit bold, aggressive, was never afraid to speak her mind. They were traits that weren't quite lady-like, not that Naruto would have it any other way.

But now, as they were deep in the throes of wedding planning, Yugito was acting as giddy as he'd ever seen her. Of course, to say they were planning a wedding was slightly misleading. Truth be told, it was more along the lines of Naruto nodding along as his bride-to-be waxed on and on about how to detail the wedding to be a perfect fit for the couple. He'd learned fairly early on in the process that arguing with her about it really wasn't a good idea.

And that wasn't even the only thing besides missions that the two had to worry about. Naruto had turned sixteen, and had come of age in the shinobi society. Among other things, in conjunction with his bloodline it meant that it was time to have the Araiki Clan officially instated amongst the clans of Kumogakure. And that brought its own nightmare of paperwork. They had to establish things as integral as the clan's rights and privileges within the village to things as frivolous as formalizing the clan crest. Overall, both of them were run ragged. Naruto dealt with most of the paperwork and meetings regarding the formalization of the Araiki clan, whilst Yugito did the lion's share of the wedding planning.

The wedding itself took place on the first of November, a mere day after Yugito's sixteenth birthday. The couple had eschewed the commonly used buildings for weddings in the village of Kumogakure, instead opting to hold the ceremony outside. They had found a semi-circle of open ground amidst a forested-mountainside, with one half of the clearing ending in a sheer drop and providing a breathtaking vista of the surrounding mountains. Winter's chill was in the air in those northern mountains, but a ring of seals charged with fiery chakra was enough to keep the bite away and make the clearing comfortable.

Attendance at the event was based almost as much on political considerations as personal ties and relationships. To be certain the Araikis had invited everybody they wanted to be there, but with the couple set to become an official clan in the very near future there were also many dignitaries from both Kumogakure and the country it represented as guests.

Conducting the ceremony was the retired Yondaime Raikage, a figure so influential in the lives of both Naruto and Yugito. He stood with his back to a magnificent sunlight that shone through the jagged peaks visible past the edge of the drop. In front of him stood the Araikis' guests of honor. Since the couple had known each other, and been close, since childhood many of the same people had been important in both their lives. As such, they had eschewed the more traditional bridesmaids and groomsmen to instead jointly select honored guests who included Kirabi, Meitoku, Jiraiya, Akana, and a few other friends and instructors from their childhood.

Naruto stood in front of all the assembled guests, draped in a black kimono adorned by the symbols of his bloodline that he'd born for so long. And he was distinctly nervous, an emotion he didn't feel all that often. Combat was never too stressful for him. It was what he was born for, trained for all his life. After all, given enough exposure anything could become routine. But this…nothing he'd been through had prepared him for this as he stood in front of his assembled guests, heart pounding in his chest as he watched Yugito begin walking down the aisle towards him.

Her kimono was white, its edges also traced in the symbols that their bloodline traced across their skin. And soon enough she was at the head of the aisle with him, the couple standing together as they would be for the rest of their lives. The rest of the ceremony seemed to go by as a blur for him. As if from someplace far off he heard the former Raikage perform the ceremony, was dimly aware of exchanging his vows with Yugito. He had a sip of ceremonial sake, as tradition dictated. And then the ceremony was sealed with a passionate, soul-searing kiss. And then, at long last, they were wed.

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The Araikis' reception followed the ceremony almost immediately. Tables were unsealed from storage scrolls, quickly set up while the chairs that had been used for the ceremony were set in place around them. The food was procured from more scrolls. Ones slightly altered to keep the food fresh as well as hot or cold, depending on what the dish required. The menu had actually been prepared by Jiraiya, possibly the most well-traveled man in all the Elemental Nations. He'd also spent most of the past month arranging for the ingredients to be brought to Kumo. Herbs from Kusa no Kuni, beef from Tsuchi no Kuni, seafood from Mizu no Kuni, fruit from Ho no Kuni. No one present managed to avoid gorging themselves on the magnificent repast.

The dancing came after that, a band that had been recommended by Kirabi of all people. Needless to say, everyone had point blank refused until someone else had checked them out as well. Akana drew the honor. And she had been pleasantly surprised to find that they were actually very good, it seemed that despite his borderline ineptitude when it came to the subject he actually didn't have bad taste in music. Who'd have guessed? The band specialized in instrumentation, their style a combination of classical with some of the edgier aspects of modern rock. (Note: For those of you who've heard them before I'm thinking something along the lines of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, though using non-Christmas music of course.)

Naruto extended his hand to Yugito, spinning her out on the dance floor as the first notes were struck. His arms found her waist, hers his shoulders, as they launched into the night's first dance. Neither of them were particularly used to dancing, not that it would have been too obvious to any onlookers. For they were used to taijutsu, which at it's finest could resemble as graceful a dance as one could imagine. And with the long years they'd spent training in the same styles their movements effortlessly meshed into a breathtaking display.

Yugito allowed her body to mold tightly to Naruto's as they danced. And as they moved through the steps one hand tilted up, letting the starlight shimmer off the two rings on her finger; her engagement ring fitting snugly around her finger just below the newer wedding ring. Naruto grinned softly in the dim light, "Looking at the rings again?" He chuckled slightly, not even needing to wait to hear her response to know the answer. "When I gave you that first one…I think it's the only time I've ever truly surprised you."

She arched an eyebrow, giving him an imperious look while suppressing the urge to playfully slap him on the back of the head. The look couldn't hold though, her face soon melting into a contented smile. "Well you always used to be so clueless when it came to romance. I even had to tell you we were going to start dating instead of waiting to be asked."

Naruto gave another soft chuckle as the music changed, a more upbeat song strumming through the air as additional couples began to make their way out onto the dance floor. "Well I could hardly stay like that forever. And besides…the setting was just, perfect."

Yugito gave a soft sigh, and couldn't disagree with the sentiment. It had been a little over a year since they'd left Kumo and were traveling along the border of Tsuchi and Taki no Kuni. That area, where the towering mountains of Tsuchi no Kuni met the vast river system of Taki no Kuni was home to many of the largest and most breath-taking waterfalls in the elemental nations. And at evening, around sunset, it was truly one of the most amazing sights she'd ever seen. Especially when Naruto was there in front of her on one knee. "And Jiraiya didn't even make a single inappropriate comment."

Despite himself, Naruto was unable to stop a grin spreading across his face, "He can behave when he realizes the situation calls for it I suppose." It had helped that he'd sat down in Jiraiya earlier that day and in no uncertain terms how well-behaved he was going to be later that night after hearing some important news. But Yugito didn't really need to know that.

And thus the night progressed, Yugito and Naruto having the time of their lives as various couples twirled across the dance floor. Akana seemed to take particular delight in dragging the current Raikage out onto the dance floor; her old gennin teammate looking distinctly uncomfortable at the prospect of dancing as the former Raikage, their old sensei, watched the two in amusement. Naruto even noticed Meitoku out on the dance floor, something he hadn't expected from his stoic teammate. He was, unfortunately, prevented from getting close to ask Meitoku about his partner as he was besieged by visiting dignitaries and occupied by a myriad of other minor ceremonies throughout the night.

But eventually the time came for them to depart. It wasn't quite a honeymoon. Elite shinobi rarely left the village for an extended period of time except for missions, foreign functions, and other similarly important events. They were simply too valuable of a resource, and one could never tell when their abilities would be needed.

So perhaps retreat would be a better term to describe it. Their destination wasn't too far, perhaps half a day's journey from Kumogakure at the speed an average shinobi was able to obtain while traveling. The destination itself was one of the many hot spring resorts that dotted the mountainous terrain. They left the reception atop Gamabunta himself, the old toad insisting upon the honor. And it didn't hurt his case that Jiraiya wouldn't dare try to follow him after the debacle that had occurred during the training trip.

Naruto touched upon his chakra and used it to help with a controlled slide down the side of Bunta's leg to the ground after the old toad landed outside the resort. He'd have been a gentleman and helped Yugito get down, but such actions were far better suited to carriages and horses than they were to enormous toads that dwarfed man and woman alike. Besides, he mused as she took a similar route to the ground, she often preferred to do such things herself anyways.

He did reach out and take her hand once she got low enough, gently swinging her to the ground beside him. Then he reached into his kimono, retrieving a scroll and unsealing a large barrel of the high-quality sake that had been served at the wedding. "Thanks for the lift 'Bunta." He gestured absently towards the barrel, "I managed to sneak this out of the store room for you, your favorite vintage if I remember correctly."

The Toad Boss's tongue flashed out, flipping the lid off the barrel with a surprisingly deft touch before his booming voice rolled through the area. "Ahh…my thanks. And I'd be honored to share a drink with the newly wed couple before my departure."

Yugito rolled her eyes, chuckling softly, "Sometimes I just think all these shared drink requests are excuses for you to drink more."

"Ha, when you're as old as I am you always look for those opportunities!" Naruto just shook his head ruefully as he stepped up to the barrel. Lacking any type of dish, he simply scooped out a brimming double-handful of the crystal clear liquid. He shared that with Yugito whilst Gamabunta scooped the barrel up with his tongue and poured a portion of it down his throat before setting what remained atop his head. "Ahh…that's the stuff! Congratulations once again you two enjoy life so long as you can." And then, with a tremendous burst of smoke, the Toad Boss was gone.

Before the smoke had even cleared Yugito felt Naruto slide in behind her, sweeping her up bridal style into his arms. She'd have protested, but had to admit that for tonight it _was_ rather fitting. So it was in such a manner that she was carried into the resort, where a quick verbal exchange between Naruto and the receptionist netted the couple the key to their suite. Yugito reached back as Naruto carried her through the hall, looping her arms around his neck. "You know…I'm wearing this thing according to tradition…"

The subtle gleam that flashed through Naruto's eyes told her that he did indeed know that wearing a kimono according to tradition meant _just_ wearing a kimono. "If I recall correctly…our room has a private, adjoining onsen."

He shifted his grip slightly, and Yugito felt a thrill shoot through her from head to toe. "Mmm…I'm sure that room has plenty of interesting features." It was going to be a long night, not that either of them minded.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Meanwhile, Sasori stood in a forested clearing on a mountainside some five miles from the site of the wedding, waiting. He hated being made to wait. He'd have to tinker with the seals he used to create his sleeper agents a bit more. But for the foreseeable future…he had more important tasks to turn his mind to. After all, it wouldn't do to keep anybody else waiting.

He heard the barest rustling of leaves before they arrived. Two sleeper agents whose seals he'd recently released. A chuunin and a jounin of Kumogakure, both of whom had been on missions with the Araikis since their return. One of them had even been invited to the wedding, which is what had dictated the current meeting location. "What have you learned?"

The first shinobi to speak was the jounin. "The Araikis grew much stronger during their training mission. They were promoted to jounin soon after their return and the Raikage appears to count them among his elite jounin. I have witnessed them utilizing Kirabi's kenjutsu style on missions, and they appear to be able to better utilize their kekkai genkai. It has also been rumored that they learned of fuuinjutsu, though I have been unable to confirm if it's true."

"Can they exert control over bijuu?"

"It's rumored that one of the reasons Kirabi was sent to help train them was so they could practice that ability. But the rumors are uncomfirmed, as is the ability."

"And you, what can you tell me of the Hachibi?"

"Kirabi is the Raikage's brother and Kumo's greatest swordsmaster. He primarily uses tai and kenjutsu in battle, and his kenjutsu style utilizes seven swords. Against more powerful opponents he calls upon the Hachibi's chakra and is said to be able to harness its full power while remaining in control of his actions. He has trained four shinobi, all currently holding the rank of jounin. Karui and Omoi were trained by him before the Raikage assigned the Araikis to him. The training trip with the Araikis was his only known extended absence and he is once more residing at Unraikyo."

"Where is Unraikyo? All I've been able to learn so far is that it is near Kumogakure."

"I'm sorry, but that's all I know about it too. It's location is a closely guarded secret, known only by his students and a handful of shinobi used as messengers and sentries by the Raikage."

"Your failure to find this information is…disturbing."

"I am sorry Sasori-sama, for-"

But the mans' words were cut off as a steel-bladed tail shot forth from beneath Sasori's cloak, stabbing the surprised shinobi through the heart before he had a chance to react. It was another flaw of his seals, they forced complete obedience. If one was for some reason unable to complete a given task, if something Sasori told them to do was not accomplished, it would weaken the seal. And Sasori would not risk it breaking. It was another feature of his seals that Sasori was seeking to improve; the human mind was such a difficult thing to manipulate.

The other agent showed no visible reaction to the sudden attack, his eyes still fixed on Sasori. The puppet master turned to face him. "You are dismissed." The shinobi disappeared from view almost instantly, headed back to Kumogakure to continue fulfilling Sasori's commands.

It was only after he was gone that a shadow detached itself from the edge of the clearing, Deidara striding into view. "Hm, are you done playing with your toys?"

Sasori turned, fixing his overly emotional partner with an annoyed glare. "My business here is finished, yes."

"Then it's time to go to Suna, yeah. Test my art against the Ichibi."

"I would be more careful if I were you. He is quite formidable, and the desert is his domain."

"Huh, my artistic perfection loses to no one, yeah."

Were he human, perhaps Sasori would have sighed at that statement. The young fool had never understood art, and probably never would. It was an argument that often arose between the two, and a senseless one as neither seemed able to sway the other to their point of view. And quite frankly, Sasori was not in the mood for it now. So instead he turned and began walking towards Suna. "Come, it would not due to keep them waiting."


	31. Chapter 30: His Last Chapter

**Author's Note:**** So…it's been a while, and for that I apologize. Unfortunately I experienced a case of writer's block for the ages halfway through this chapter, and it lasted long enough that I lost my inspiration for writing fanfiction. A poor excuse, I know, so I'd like to thank those of you who are still with me.**

**And I'd like to say that I'll be churning out chapters as fast as I used to, but I can't promise that. Especially considering how busy life's been keeping me. But hopefully I can start updating again with some degree of regularity.**

**Oh, and I'm sure there are some people who've noticed that I usually do my author's notes at the end of chapters. But for this particular chapter, I think having this at the end would cheapen it. Here's hoping you enjoy it.**

**Translations:**

**Ishiki no To-Remu: Translates to Senses of the Totem. User's eyes change to resemble that of their totem. Chakra will also outline the user's ears. This stage of To-Remu Yajuuki greatly enhances all five senses of its user.**

**Shitai no To-Remu - Translates to Limbs of the Totem. Outlines the user's limbs in shimmering energy and greatly increases their speed.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I understand why anybody would think I did. This is being posted as fan fiction after all.**

The newlywed couple spent several days enjoying their retreat at the hot springs. The time spent there was certainly enjoyable; relaxing soaks, sumptuous meals, relaxing hikes through the mountainous terrain, and certainly a great deal of secluded trysts. A wonderful experience by any measure.

But, like anything, it reached its end soon enough. And it was with a touch of reluctance that the couple checked out of the resort. But they were shinobi above all else, professionals, and weren't about to let something so minor bother them overmuch. The journey back to Kumo started out leisurely enough. But the desire to stretch their muscles, and the competitive nature of both blondes, eventually sprung to the fore. A small increase in pace, a triumphant grin as one deliberately cut the other off as they turned a corner, chakra-enhanced leaps across the rough landscape, and soon enough the couple was streaking across the mountains as Shitai no To-Remu blazed upon their limbs. And the feeling, the exhilaration, of the wind in their faces and the cool mountain air banished any reluctance they'd had to leave the onsen soon enough.

And, of course, they made great time; arriving at the village gates as the sun was lowering into an evening sky. It was actually Yugito who got there first, touching down in front of the checkpoint a bare fraction of a second ahead of Naruto. Still, as the smug grin on her face evidenced both experienced shinobi were easily able to note that sliver of time and she was well aware of her minor triumph.

They were waved past the gates with barely a second glance, something that had become relatively commonplace since their return to the village those months ago. After entering the village proper the couple decided that their first order of business would be to get dinner, and Yugito grudgingly agreed to the ramen stand that Naruto had decided was the village's best. Coincidentally it had experienced a huge upswing in business after that decision, only some of it Naruto's.

After eating they headed back to their compound to drop off their luggage. And, after briefly considering heading back out into the village, opted to stay in and wash the dust and grime of their day's travel off of them before resting for the remainder of the night.

They were awoken as the sun rose by the manor's door bell. Yugito quickly decided that Naruto would be the one to climb out of the comfort of bed and answer the door. He was understandably groggy upon opening the door, but snapped to alertness almost immediately upon seeing that it was an ANBU standing at the door. "Trouble?"

"An investigation, Araiki-san. One of the village's jounin was reported missing and his corpse discovered."

"That sounds like a job for the ANBU, or hunter-nin perhaps. What are we needed for?"

"The trail has gone cold. Raikage-sama is hoping that your enhanced senses might be able to find something that everybody else has missed."

"And you're supposed to guide us to the scene I assume?"

"Yes."

"Give me a few minutes then. I need to tell Yugito-chan and we'll have to get our gear together."

"Of course, I'll wait here."

It didn't take the couple long to get ready, it rarely did for seasoned shinobi. Time was a luxury in the ninja world, and one never knew when they wouldn't have enough of it. When a fraction of a second could be the difference between life and death, one quickly learned hot to take advantage of every one of them. So they were on the road with their ANBU guide inside of five minutes, bounding back over the terrain they had traversed only the day before.

The pace wasn't as hard as that set by the Araikis on their journey back to the village, but the distance to cover wasn't as far. And it was nearing mid-day by the time they arrived at their destination. Two squads of ANBU were in the area, both securing the clearing and guarding the Raikage. The hulking man turned towards the Araikis as they approached, "Takahashi Kanaye."

"Beg pardon?"

The Raikage stepped aside, allowing the Araikis their first glimpse of the deceased shinobi's corpse. "Takahashi Kanaye, my murdered shinobi." There were traces of simmering rage in the depths of his rumbling voice. "He was promoted six months before your return at the age of nineteen. Not on your level perhaps, but a promising shinobi nonetheless. Or at least he was."

He motioned the couple closer, pointing out the brutal wound in the dead man's chest. "He was killed by a single stab to the chest, the blade was driven straight through the sternum into the heart. It was a poisoned blade, not that it made any difference."

"What poison was on the blade? It must provide some clue."

"The medic-nin have never seen anything like it. They can't even figure out the ingredients. As much as we've tried we haven't found the slightest clue as to who killer was, where he's from, or where he went. Hopefully you'll have more luck."

Naruto and Yugito exchanged a quick glance, before limning their bodies with the sheen of Ishiki no To-Remu. Both of them winced, visibly recoiling as soon as they did. The Raikage's expression twisted into one of curiosity and confusion. "What is it?"

Yugito backed up a step, letting her kekkai genkai fade as she did. "That poison. Ugh, it stinks something awful."

"I can't smell a thing."

"If you had our bloodline you could." Naruto was walking a slow circle around the edge of the clearing as he spoke. "It's seems to be able to linger quite strongly, we'll be able to track him." He pulled up short, motioning to the south and east. "Whoever did this, went that way."

A grin of fierce triumph spread across the Raikage's face. "You can track him. Can you catch him?"

"Hard to say without knowing anything about how he travels. But with Shitai no To-Remu I'd bet the answer is yes."

"Do it. I want the bastard's head." The pair nodded once, and were gone.

****

Naruto and Yugito practically flew over the landscape. The trail was almost ridiculously easy to follow, to their enhanced sense of smell whatever potent poison the assassin used laid a trail impossible for them to miss. And with Shitai no To-Remu active they were able to eat up the ground at an astounding pace. Despite their late start they were nearly to in the border countries between their homeland and Ho no Kuni by the time they made camp for the night, following the trail to the south and west. Another two days' travel took them all the way through Ho no Kuni and into Kawa no Kuni. And it was as they were approaching that country's border with Kaze no Kuni that they finally reached the end of their pursuit.

It was Naruto who noticed it first, by a bare instant. He went to earth in a forest clearing, landing in a crouch with Yugito alighting beside him almost instantly. They spent several seconds in silence, processing the information their obtained from their keen senses before Naruto spoke. "You smell it too?"

"Yeah, the poison, a lot of it. And dust too, a mile or so to the south."

"Think we should check it out?"

"I don't see any point in following a trail when we already know where it leads."

Naruto couldn't help but grin, "Logic like that is hard to argue against."

Naruto took the lead as the two made their way south, the poison's scent seeming to grow ever more prevalent as they went. And at last they reached it, a break in the trees where the cloying scent saturated the air. A brief glance around the area showed that they were standing near the edge of a small canyon, supposedly carved by the river they could hear running below them. Oh yeah, and a big chunk of the cliff at this side of the ravine was gone.

Naruto walked over to the edge of the crater his features screwing up in disgust as he deactivated Ishiki no To-Remu, granting himself a reprieve from the scent. "No doubt about it, there's a lot of that poison down there."

Yugito joined him, casting a disparaging eye over the rubble that comprised the crater's floor. "It doesn't look very stable, I don't think we're going to be able to dig down in order to figure out what happened. Even if we could, some of the river water has to be washing through all those rocks. It would be damaging what little evidence the cave-in left."

"So in other words you don't think we're going to be able to figure out what happened here."

"No."

Naruto sighed, his frustration evident. "Trying to pick up his trail here is going to be difficult. All the other poison here is going to wash out his trail for some distance."

"That's true, or we could follow this trail."

Naruto's gaze snapped over to her, "What trail?"

In response Yugito leapt over the lip of the canyon, landing on one of the many logs that seemed to span its width. "Two women, both of whom seem to be medics. One of the scents is pretty familiar, but I can't quite place it."

Naruto leapt down as well, landing beside her in a crouch as he reactivated his Ishiki no To-Remu. "You're right. It's a bit difficult to pick up, but definitely there."

Yugito just rolled her eyes in response, leaping off to follow the new trail. "Of course I'm right." They quickly found that they had to move much more slowly now, as the scent they were following was much more faint than it was before. It was also fragmented, as their quarry's contact with solid surfaces was intermittent due to the constant leaps from log to log. But the pair was nothing if not persistent. And before long they followed the trail into a forested area, and found it much easier to follow across solid ground.

They stole through the forests like wraiths, moving quickly and silently as they followed the trail. The couple looked towards each other as they moved, exchanging subtle glances. And then the forest burst into a sudden cacophony of smoke and frenzied movement. When things finally settled down there were six figures arrayed beneath the canopy. The four newcomers had clearly intended to get the drop on the Araikis, and had just as clearly failed. Their kunai were free of their sheaths, but only raised halfway towards the two Kumo-nin. Naruto, by contrast, had a sword in both hands; the razor-edge of his left-hand blade resting against the throat of one would-be assailant while the tip of his other blade was set at the base of the other's skull. The two who'd gone after Yugito were in similar straits. One with a blade ready to slide between his ribs, the other staring at the blade point that was mere millimeters from his right eye.

However, both Naruto and Yugito relaxed slightly as they got a look at the sudden arrivals. Naruto straightened first, pulling both his blades from the Suna ANBU. Yugito followed suit, and the four operatives sagged visibly in relief. "We didn't expect to encounter any Suna ANBU on this side of the border."

"We didn't expect any Kumo-nin on this side of the continent."

Naruto grinned, amused by the comment. Most shinobi would have been to shaken to come up with a decently witty comeback. "A good point. We're tracking a supposed criminal who killed one of Kumo's jounin. He seemed to have been involved in quite the fight back by the river. We lost his trail at the battlefield, but picked up the trail of two women that we've been following to this point."

The ANBU masks may have concealed their facial features, but the way the ANBU operatives tensed and glanced at each other conveyed a fountain of information to the two seasoned Kumo-nin. As such they were scarcely surprised by their response, at least not the first part of it. "We're pretty sure we're here for the same reason. If you're talking about who we think you are he helped facilitate an attack the Kazekage."

"All the way out here?"

"No, the Kazekage fought an opponent wielding explosive clay back in Sunagakure. He was defeated, and after leaving a trap that slowed our pursuit, his assailants brought him here."

"Gaara lost," hints of disbelief, surprise, and amazement tinged Naruto's voice, "in the middle of the desert?"

"His assailant assaulted the village itself," the ANBU's tone was clipped, betraying a hint of anger at the perceived doubt in his lord's abilities, "Kazekage-sama taxed himself to defend it, which is the _only_ thing that allowed him to be defeated."

"How he was defeated was irrelevant," Yugito's voice was calm, measured, "what's important now is how Gaara is faring."

The effect those words had on the ANBU members was as obvious as it was immediate, their posture clearly betraying their worry and uncertainty. "Chiyo-sama is tending to him…his condition is severe."

Naruto and Yugito exchanged a quick glance. "Take us there."

The ANBU seemed to positively bristle at those words. "Two foreign shinobi trying wanting to be brought to our badly wounded Kazekage? That seems quite suspicious."

Naruto shrugged, but despite his casual stance there was steel in his tone. "If we wished your village harm our blades would not have been held a few seconds back."

The ANBU, hardened shinobi though they were, could not help but feel a shiver crawl down their spines at the not so subtle thread. And they couldn't help but wonder just how quickly the "fight" would have been over had the Araikis actually wanted them dead. "Follow us."

****

In fairly short order the ANBU lead the Araikis to a large group of Suna-nin. But ANBU escort or not, the shinobi guarding the perimeter of the group didn't seem to keen on the idea of letting two Kumo-nin approach. "You two," one of the ANBU at the perimeter was predictably pointing at the Araikis, "Do not come any closer. And you," his gaze swept across the four Suna ANBU that had led Naruto and Yugito here, "What are you thinking? Bringing foreign shinobi here."

"Do you even know who you're talking to?" Neither Naruto nor Yugito bothered to conceal their amused grins as the pompous ANBU jumped in obvious surprise as Kankuro spoke from his position directly behind the man.

"One of the four man ANBU patrols we had securing the area, Kankuro-san. And the two Kumo-nin they lead here in a gross breach of security."

"Those two Kumo-nin are Araiki Naruto and Araiki Yugito, Gaara's friends. "

Silence reigned for a handful of deliciously awkward sentences before the ANBU found his voice again. "Th-these two are the Araikis?"

"Yes, and Gaara would appreciate it if they were treated respectfully." Kankuro turned to look at the two blondes. "I'll take you to see him."

"Thanks," Naruto and Yugito walked forward to pull astride Kankuro as he moved towards the center of the gathering. "Gaara was attacked." It was a statement more than a question.

"Yes, by Akatsuki. One of them, Deidara according to the Bingo Book, infiltrated Sunagakure and attacked him. Gaara engaged him in aerial combat, which prevented anyone else from helping him. Deidara captured Gaara, and took him out of the village. I," he hesitated for a bit, "foolishly went after him on my own. When I caught up the second Akatsuki member, Akasuna no Sasori, defeated me easily."

Naruto rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Akasuna no Sasori, I think I've heard that name before."

"It wouldn't surprise me." The Kazekage came into view as Kankuro guided them past the last screen of onlookers. His voice was weak and hoarse, sounding just as weary as Gaara looked. Despite that, Naruto couldn't see a mark on him. And his gaze took in a few other items of note. The diminutive, shroud-covered body not too far away. And the presence of Kakashi, Sakura, Sai, Lee, Neji, Tenten, and Gai. "He is a nuke-nin from my village, possibly the most accomplished puppet user in the history of the Elemental Nations."

Naruto and Yugito exchanged a quick glance, and Yugito spoke. "So he makes frequent use of poison?"

Sakura frowned, "A very potent poison, even with Tsunade-sama's teachings I was barely able to save Kankuro from it."

"And with Kankuro's defeat Akatsuki had enough time to extract Shakaku from me."

That earned a beat of stunned silence from both Kumo-nin. "I thought that extracting a bijuu from its host was fatal." A thoughtful frown suddenly marred Naruto's features, "Well, unless the ritual is specifically designed not to. But I don't see why Akatsuki would do that."

"It did kill me. But one of my retired Shinobi, Chiyo, had developed a forbidden jutsu that was able to resurrect me at the cost of her own life." Gaara grimaced slightly, falling silent for a few seconds before continuing. "Why are the two of you this far from Kumogakure?"

"Tracking Sasori it seems. A Kumo Shinobi was killed in the mountains outside of the village. When Yugito-chan and I used Ishiki no To-Remu to examine the scene we could smell the poison despite the time that had passed, one of the strongest scents I've ever encountered. We followed it to some sort of cave-in not far from here. That must have been quite some battle. And there was enough of the poison hanging in the air to make it impossible to pick up the trail again. But we did sense the chakra of all the shinobi gathered here, and investigated." He glanced up at the assorted Konoha-nin, "Why are you guys here?"

"Yosh! Konoha received a-"

"Someone other than Gai explain please."

Kakashi sat up slightly, sounding just as weary and drained as he looked. "Suna sent Konoha a coded letter by messenger hawk requesting aid after Gaara was captured. The seven of us tracked Akatsuki to the cave you mentioned. Gai's team took care of the security measures while my team confronted Akatsuki with Chiyo's help. Sakura and Chiyo fought Sasori there, while Sai and I got Gaara's body back from Deidara. Then Chiyo and Sakura arrived, at about the same time as the Suna task force here."

"And the Akatsuki members?"

"Escaped, both of them." Kankuro seemed more than a little disgruntled as he gave that statement.

Naruto sighed. "They murdered a Kumo Shinobi, attacked the Kazekage in his home village, and killed him by extracting his Bijuu. It would seem, that Akatsuki is once more on the move."

There were a few moments of silence as everyone digested that unwelcome bit of reasoning, eventually broken by Gaara. "What does that mean?"

Yugito grimaced, glancing back in the direction of the collapsed cavern. "Nothing good."

****

He couldn't remember the last time he'd been pushed so far. He'd resorted to using a dozen different jutsus, and twice as many tricks. Some of the most powerful summons the Toad clan could boast had been summoned to the field, and even now Ma and Pa sat on his shoulders as his body was flooded with a carefully monitored amount of natural energy. He'd pulled out all the stops, held nothing back.

And it hadn't been enough.

He was exhausted, and even with the power he'd drawn from nature his chakra reserves were almost empty. His muscles ached from exertion, his body ached from the beating he'd received, and he could feel the mounting toll of several internal injuries. He'd reached his limits, he had nothing left. The most important fight of his life, and he had lost.

Six pairs of eyes, arranged in a circle around the laboring Sage, regarded him impassively. All feeding information to the man that would be a god. "You are too old Sensei. You cannot defeat me, cannot recognize what I've become, cannot accept what must be done in this world. You're a relic of older times, the world has passed you by."

Jiraiya groaned slightly, feeling broken bones grate against each other as he levered himself back into an upright position. The pain was excruciating. And he almost lost the last vestiges of consciousness he clung to. But he couldn't let go, not quite yet. Konoha, Yugito, Naruto…they needed to learn what they were up against. "My vision's not so bad that I can't see a deluded fool for what he is."

His next move wasn't as impressive as he would have liked. Normally he'd have dived into the water around him. But with his ankle on the verge of giving out he just kind of keeled over sideways into it, and depended on the two elder toads to propel him as deeply as they could as quickly as they could. But the move served its purpose, and the Six Paths of Pain sliced almost effortlessly through the water after him. The thing was, a ninja could surface much faster than they could dive. Every ninja learned to water walk eventually, and knew that focusing too much chakra to their feet would repel water. All it took was a misapplication of that basic lesson, and Jiraiya went shooting back up from the depths like a cork out off a bottle.

He was past all six Pains before they could react to his presence, rocketing past the surface in a spray of water. Ma and Pa were already acting as he did, oil gushing from there mouths and liberally coating the surface of the small lake. And when his Goukakyuu no Jutsu hit it the surface lit up in a sudden inferno.

Nagato watched impassively as all six paths of Pain lost sight of his former sensei. The fiery combination posed no real threat to any of the bodies. But it did turn the water's surface into a hellish mirror. A pulse from the Deva Path broke the smooth surface of the water, scattering spray on burning oil across the area. Not surprisingly, Jiraiya was nowhere to be seen. The distraction had been more than enough for a ninja of his caliber to disappear. He'd even managed to find overhead cover, hide himself from the falling rain. The Toad Sage was fleeing. No matter, the wrath of god was inescapable.

****

Jiraiya let out a harsh breath as he released the technique, the glow fading from his finger as he looked at the kanji inscribed across the elder toad's back. "Sorry about this, Pa."

"Don't worry, I know how important this is." The toad turned, studying the Sage's face. And for perhaps the first time Jiraiya saw Pa's features soften, worry and concern creeping into its edges. "Are you sure about this? You might still be able to get out of here and deliver that message yourself."

"No." Jiraiya's eyes fell closed as his mind drifted back through his memories. He'd failed…so many times. He hadn't been able to win Tsunade's affections, hadn't been able to stop Orochimaru from leaving. He'd trained Minato to be one of the world's greatest shinobi, only to lose him at a time when he should never have left his side. And he just wasn't able to bring himself to be there for his godson after Minato's death, resulting in the boy being whisked off to Kumogakure. He hadn't been able to stop Orochimaru's attack on Konoha, or prevent the snake from killing Sarutobi-sensei. As much as he boasted…as powerful, accomplished, and feared as he was his life was just a long litany of failures.

But then it all changed. He'd been able to bring Tsunade back to become Hokage. He'd been there for Naruto in the end, when he needed him. And he'd shaped the boy and his girlfriend into a force that he knew would stop Akatsuki and their plans. Naruto…come to think of it, it had all changed when he met the little brat. He always seemed to be able to make those around him better, the kid's most valuable asset. And he'd managed to do the same with the Gallant Jiraiya, even so late in life. The kid certainly was something special. And in the end he'd done the most important thing, passed on his teachings to the next generation. He'd made sure they were capable of finishing what he'd started. Now he just had to make sure they had the knowledge to pull it off. "I have to finish this, the gallant Jiraiya's last great accomplishment."

"All right kid, if you're sure."

Ma's voice cut in before Jiraiya could respond, heavy and solemn. "One of them's nearby, with the crooked nose piercing."

"Then this is it." Jiraiya's face settled into a grim expression, it was time. He held his hand out, opening his body to the flow of the natural energy around him. He brought it in much more quickly than he usually would. And he could already feel his skin begin to change, his joints beginning to calcify. In the past he'd have been worried about the long-term damage this was doing, not even Tsunade would be able to fix it. But he was past that concern now.

Without further ado he hurled himself from his place of concealment, forgoing all the formidable stealth skills he'd acquired over the years as he closed in on his target. He wasn't the least bit surprised as he saw Human Path spin to face him, raise its arm as a black blade suddenly appeared in its hand…but no matter how much you steeled yourself you were never prepared for the shock of a blade splitting your heart in two.

A fatal wound, beyond any shadow of a doubt. But he'd already accepted his death, and Pain had underestimated him. Even as wounded, exhausted as he was he could take out one path on its own. The potent chakra flowing through him almost made it seem easy, as the Oodama Ransengan formed in his outstretched hand with barely a thought. His other hand clamped around his assailants, pinning it to the blade and holding it in place. Holding his assailant in place for a few precious moments.

Then the Rasengan struck. The path of Pain went flying, the blade ripping free of his chest. Pain more intense than any he'd ever known ripped though him as he collapsed to the ground amidst a torrent of blood from his ruined chest. He saw Fukasaku land on the body before it even hit the ground, and the two of them disappeared in a flash of ninja smoke.

_If you want people to remember you, you have to give them something to remember you by_. It was the last lesson Hiruzen had taught them as their jounin-sensei, before they'd made chuunin. He'd taken it to heart, and tried to live up to it in so many ways.

In the end he'd given Naruto and Yugito everything he could.

In the end he'd passed on the keys that should let them unlock the mystery that was Pain.

In the end…that would have to be enough.

Despite, or perhaps because of, it all…the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myobokuzan died with a smile on his face.


End file.
